Not only does a traumatic brain injury (TBI) forever change the life of the victim, it also causes serious damage to the health and lives of the victim’s family. The TBI victim is not the same person which causes profound stress to the care giving family. The stress is constant and there is usually no
What is Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy?
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive degenerative disease which afflicts the brain of people who have suffered repeated concussions and traumatic brain injuries, such as athletes who take part in contact sports, members of the military and others.
The brain of an individual who suffers from CTE gradually deteriorates and will over time end
Brain Fiber Tracking in HD
Brain imaging technology advances at a rapid pace. A new process, called "high definitiion fiber tracking," reveals areas of brain injury with more exactness than standard scans such as CT & MRI and even the newer DTI method.
Millions of Americans suffer a traumatic brain injury, or TBI, each year. Most TBIs are concussions or
Botox Manufacturer Must Pay for Brain Injuries Caused by “Off-Label” Use
The wrinkle reducer, Botox is approved by the FDA for very narrow uses only. But Allergan, its manufacturer, has promoted it to doctors all over the country for other uses, including muscle spasms. A doctor’s use of a drug for a purpose not approved by the FDA is often referred to as an “off-label” use.
Will Decompressive Craniectomies Lead to Worse Outcomes for TBI Victims?
Decompressive craniectomies are an aggressive surgical strategy increasingly used at trauma centers for victims of diffuse traumatic brain injury. Although surgical methods vary, the decompressive craniectomy involves temporarily removing a portion of the skull to relieve the pressure from the swelling of the injured brain.
As recently reported in the New England Journal of Medicine
NHL Revamps its Concussion Protocol
Following a recent threat by Air Canada to pull its sponsorship dollars, the NHL announced a revision of the NHL Protocol for Concussion Evaluation and Management. The Protocol now requires:
- Mandatory removal from play if a player reports any listed symptoms or shows any listed signs of a concussion;
- Examination by the team physician in
Dramatic New Brain Research Will Help Explain Learning Losses after TBIs
Array tomography is a state-of-the-art imaging system invented by Stanford University researchers. It allows researchers to count the myriad connections between nerve cells, as well as to catalog those connections’ surprising variety.
A typical healthy human brain contains about 200 billion nerve cells, or neurons, linked to one another via hundreds of trillions of tiny
Preventing Second Impact Syndrome in High School Athletes
“Second Impact Syndrome” refers to mild brain injuries suffered repeatedly within a short period (hours, days, or weeks). Although all brain injuries are serious, second impacts can be catastrophic or even fatal. The American Academy of Neurology has developed guidelines for deciding when it is safe to return to play after a first injury.
Football Safety: Are More Expensive Helmets the Answer?
Friday night lights. Marching bands. And the smacking of football pads. Yes, it’s football season!
As parents prepare to watch their kids on the football field, discussion returns to topics of injuries and helmet safety. The risk of football-related brain injuries
es is undeniable. Each year designers and manufacturers unveil the latest and greatest helmet.
On-Line Course Teaches High School Coaches About Concussions
A study published in the September 2010 issue of Pediatrics reports the number of sports-related concussions is highest in high school-aged athletes, but the number in younger athletes is sig
nificant and rising. Visits to emergency departments for minor traumatic brain injuries occurring during organized team sports have increased dramatically over a 10-year period, and