Traumatic Brain Injury: December 2006 Archives

Head Restraint Position May Be Key in Avoiding Whiplash

The positioning of driver and passenger head restraints could be important in avoiding pain associated with whiplash injury. The study upon which these results were based, comes out of the VA Medical Center in Milwaukee. Brain Stemper, Ph.D., conducted the study and said the study shows that "you want to set your head restraint so that it's very close to the back of your head. Each time drivers and passengers get in a car, they should be sure the head restraint is correctly positioned to minimize injuries."

Key to avoiding whiplash injury may lie in head restraint positioning

Whiplash injuries affect the soft tissues of the cervical spine and can be sustained in any type of crash. More than one million people in the U.S. each year are affected by whiplash. Symptoms include neck pain, headaches, and lower back soreness.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 10:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Gene Variation Could Help Traumatic Brain Injury Victims

A study out of New York indicated that a certain gene variation, which is linked to longevity, could protect brainpower and memory. The research, conducted by the Institute for Aging Research and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, showed that a longevity gene slows fatty cholesterol buildup in blood vessels, which are connected to loss of brain function, loss of memory, strokes and heart attacks.

Gene Tied To Longevity May Protect Brain

The research was conducted on almost 300 Ashkenazi Jews over 70 years of age. People with this gene variation did much better on memory and concentration tests. The lead researcher and director of the institute also suggested that this gene variation could protect against Alzheimer’s Disease.

Posted by Ryan Jardine at 09:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Shaking Probable Cause of Girl's Brain Injury

Dr. Geoffrey Wallace, a pediatric neurologist, has told a Brisbane, Australia court that a brain injured toddler's injuries probably were caused by her having been shaken. Wallace said that the girl had suffered bruising and swelling to the brain and that the blood had pooled in a rear fissure; this is consistent with a shaking injury. Matthew Michael John Sorenson, who lived with the girl's mother, told doctors that the girl had fallen to the floor and hit her head on a door.

Shaking 'likely cause' of girl's brain damage

Wallace said that there was "no evidence on the surface.. that would indicate direct trauma. The history didn't correspond to what we were seeing clinically." Sorenson denied the allegations. "I've never seen her being shaken by anyone," he said in a court interview.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 03:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Laughter Stimulates the Brain

A new study of the brain suggests that laughter really is contagious. The brain responds to the sound of laughter by moving the muscles in the face. Sophie Scott, a neuroscientist at the University College London who conducted much of the research, says, "we’ve known for some time that when we are talking to someone, we often mirror their behavior, copying the words they use and mimicking their gestures. Now we’ve shown that the same appears to apply to laughter, too — at least at the level of the brain.”

Ha ha ha: Did that make you smile?

Scott and other researchers played a series of sounds to volunteers and measured the responses in their brains with an fMRI scanner. While laughter and happy shouts provoked positive reactions in the brain, screaming or retching provoked negative reactions. All of the sounds caused reactions in the premotor cortical region of the brain, which causes muscles in the face to move in a way that corresponds to the sound. The contagiousness of positive emotions may be important in socializing. Language may have been a precursor to speech; conveying emotions through laughter would have been necessary to form relationships.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 03:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Researchers Attempt to Treat Traumatic Brain Injury With Stem Cells

A group from the Texas Children’s Hospital has collaborated with the University of Texas’ Medical School in rare clinical trials that use bone marrow stem cells to help children recover from traumatic brain injury. The trials are the first to attempt to use stem cells to help treat traumatic brain injury. They do not involve using the ethically questionable and controversial embryonic stem cells.

Year In Review, Ethical Stem Cell Study May Pave Way for Brain Injury Cure

An associate professor with pediatric neurosurgery and a primary investigator into this project believes that this procedure will be “an absolutely novel treatment, the first ever with potential to repair a traumatically damaged brain.” The first trial was performed on children, ages five to fourteen, and involved removing marrow stem cells from the child’s hips and replacing them through an intravenous line.

Posted by Ryan Jardine at 09:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Alcohol May Help in Traumatic Brain Injury Recovery

The majority of health professionals believe that drinking excessively is a threat to public health. However, a newly released report seems to indicate that in some circumstances drinking may benefit a person’s health. Researchers have found that when a person receives a traumatic head injury, after having drunk moderate amounts of alcohol, they have a lower risk of death than a sober person does. This study is found in The Archives of Surgery. The researchers are quick to point out that they are not endorsing heavy drinking, as the study also determined that heavy drinkers also were very likely to die following a traumatic brain injury.

In Study, Alcohol Seems to Help in Head Trauma

One of the lead researchers, Dr. Homer C.N. Tien from the University of Toronto said, “Certainly if you take all things equally, if you drink and drive you’re still much more likely to die from an accident.” However, the researchers point out that there is clear evidence that alcohol does aid the brain in recovering from blunt trauma injury. Researchers emphasize that they recognize the “major sociological implications” in saying that brain trauma patients who have drunk alcohol could have a better chance then sober ones. They clarify the results of their study by pointing out that this study focused on people who arrived at the hospital alive and not those that died on the scene of an accident because of alcohol intake.

Posted by Ryan Jardine at 09:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Brain Injury Program Stalls

Major financial backers and health industry representatives who are responsible for caring for brain injured children have decided to again put off funding adjustments for their programs. The decision will prevent multi-million dollar deficits in Virginia's birth-injury program to be alleviated. The decision was reached late last month and was made after insurers decided not to shut down the program to new infants but to delay efforts to fix the 18-year-old, no-fault program. The program is expected to be $140 million short of the budget needed to fund the administration and lifetime medical care costs of children who currently are in the program.

Brain Injury Program Stalls

According to annual actuarial reports by Mercer Consulting Inc., the program has enough money to operate without any budget changes for another 17 years. The program is formally known as the Virginia Birth-related Neurological Injury Compensation Program. Roughly 110 children are in the program, according to annual reports. The program was designed to provide care to a small group of children who were catastrophically injured at birth. The majority of children in the program suffered oxygen loss because of complicated labors and delivery systems that involved negligence.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 01:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"Heading" a Football Causes Brain Damage

Those playing European football should consider the possible consequences before scoring with a diving "header." A Scottish researcher has discovered that heading a football can cause brain damage, even for casual players. Brainwave changes in those who played the game for less than five years were discovered. Those who play football also were found to be less aware of what was happening in their peripheral vision.

Heading a football may cause brain damage

Douglas Potter of Dundee University looked at football players, rugby players, and non-contact sports players and measured their ability to focus by measuring their brainwaves with electrodes stuck to their scalps. Football players likely struggle to focus because, when heading, they damage the brain on the middle top part of the head; this area is important in memory. 'The region of the brain involved is in the middle top part of the head, the medial pre-frontal cortex, which would be the region footballers are heading with,' said Potter.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 10:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Brain Injury the Cause of Violence

Gary "Buster" Studer, who killed his wife, Tonya, and his mother-in-law, Vicki Dewey, committed the violent acts because of a brain injury he sustained in a car crash in 1998, according to his mother. Karen Edwards wants to make sure what happened to her son does not happen to anyone else; she is writing a book about how people with brain injuries react in certain situations, and what families should do with relatives who have suffered a brain injury.

Studer’s mother: Brain injury the cause of son’s violent reaction in killings

Edwards says that her son committed the murders largely because the situation in which he was placed after his accident not conducive to his mental health. Tonya began as Gary's caregiver before their relationship became romantic; the two ended up married and with two kids. Following his accident, Gary had 70% hearing loss, severe loss of vision in his left eye, partial paralysis, and short-term memory loss. Studer was unable to work following the accident. Edwards says the type of brain injury her son suffered causes people to react impulsively and with anger. "There's one emotion with brain injury and that's anger. Learned emotions were lost in the accident and can't be re-taught," she said. Edwards says she is not trying to excuse her son's actions.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 10:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Gap in Insurance for Brain Injury Victims

19 year-old TJ Webber was longboarding without a helmet when he had a crash that will cost his family more than $100,00 in medical bills. Webber's mother, Sherri Daun, said that when Webber fell, "everything changed." Webber is having to relearn skills like problem-solving, recalling memories, and managing problems. However, money likely will run out before Webber has opportunity to recover to a functioning level. Daun says that if Webber "doesn't get treatment, he'll end up in a jail, psych ward, or homeless."

Salem youth's brain injury spotlights gap in insurance

Sherri Stock, of the Brain Injury Association of Oregon, says that people with brain injuries frequently end up with dismal futures. She says, "studies have shown that the homeless have a very high rate of brain injury, as do people in prison." Daun thought that her insurance, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon, would provide more monetary assistance after the injury. However, the company does not give financial assistance for cognitive rehabilitation because three studies don't "permit conclusions on whether cognitive rehabilitation improves health outcomes in adults."

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 11:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Brain Injury Keeps Man from Jail

Dennis Publicover pleaded guilty to impaired driving causing death; he crashed his friend Jason Warris's car into a tree after the two had spent an afternoon playing golf and drinking beer. Publicover survived the crash but is severely brain damaged and his mother is now his primary caregiver. Publicover is escaping jail because of his brain injury. Superior Court Justice Peter Hockin said that it didn't make sense to send Publicover to jail because of his brain injury.

Brain injury keeps man from jail

Before the crash, Publicover had lead a productive life. It is believed that Warris was more intoxicated than Publicover and gave Publicover the keys to drive home. Warris' SUV travelled into a ditch prior to crashing into the tree. Warris died at the scene. Publicover's blood-alcohol level was twice the legal limit. He has a "severe, traumatic brain injury" as a result of the crash.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 11:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Brain Injury Support Group Criticizes Funding Priorities

The main group for brain injury sufferers in Tasmania says that it is frustrated by poor funding. The Brain Injury Association of Tasmania (BIAT) says that the State Government has decided to spend $154,000 on a photographic book of the state, yet it refuses to give $65,000 to BIAT so that the group can run educational and prevention programs in schools. Deborah Byrne, BIAT spokeswoman, says that the state's decision "gets back to looking at the priorities."

Brain injury support group criticises Premier's funding priorities

Byrne added that, "when you look at the cost of just one brain injury - and that's only looking at the financial cost, not the emotional cost - I mean some of the volunteers that work in our program, the people with brain injury that tell their story, they talk about $4 million to $5 million being spent on their rehabilitation."

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 01:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Chronic Back Pain Linked to Changes in the Brain

A German research team has found that people suffering from chronic lower back pain also had microstructural changes in their brains. Using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI,) the researchers tracked the movement of water molecules in the brain's gray and white matter. Dr. Jurgen Lutz, who lead the research team, said that the results were important because "a major problem for patients with chronic pain is making their condition believable to doctors, relatives and insurance carriers. DTI could play an important role in this regard. With these objective and reproducible correlates in brain imaging, chronic pain may no longer be a subjective experience. For pain diagnosis and treatment, the consequences could be enormous."

Chronic Back Pain Linked To Changes In The Brain

In comparison to the healthy volunteers, those with chronic lower back pain had significantly more directed diffusion in the pain-processing regions of the brain. The researchers say that the findings may help explain the failure of many back pain treatments and be helpful in developing new treatments. However, it still is unclear whether back pain or brain changes occur first.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 01:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

How Does Chemo Damage Brain Cells?

Chemotherapy damages brain cells, which causes memory loss and confusion in cancer patients, and possibly permanent damage in young children. "Chemobrain" has long been noted by cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy; patients frequently have difficulty solving problems and thinking clearly after chemotherapy. The effects typically go away within a few years in adults, but appear to have more last effects in children.

Studies show how chemotherapy damages brain cells

Drugs to treat cancer may damage normal, healthy cells more than the cancer cells that they should be affecting. Researchers at the University of Rochester in New York exposed human brain cells and cells from human tumors to chemotherapy drugs such as cisplatin, carmustine, and cytarabine. They found that the drugs killed more brain cells than tumor cells. For young children with developing brains, the loss of brain cells is especially problematic. Dr. Patricia Duffner, a neurologist at the University of Buffalo School of Medicine, said that "very high-dose chemotherapy, requiring bone marrow transplantation or peripheral stem cell support, is now standard therapy for children with certain brain tumors, especially for the very young. There are no easy answers. We must balance the need for survival with quality of life."

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 01:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Brain Injury Warning

A British brain injury charity is warning people that not all brain injury victims can be as fortunate as BBC TV Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond. While Hammond is on the way to recovery, many with serious brain injuries are left with life-long disabilities. Many have contacted the charity to say that Hammond's case has given a misleading impression about the severity of the problem. Charity chairwoman Pam Spencer said that those at the charity "are all relieved that he's making such wonderful progress, but there are a lot of families whose loved ones unfortunately are left with problems that are life changing."

Brain Injury Warning

Brain injury as a result of car accidents, at home or at work, fights, and falls can lead to physical impairment, memory problems, emotional difficulties, and personality changes. Victims can lose their jobs, homes and suffer from relationship-damaging psychological damage.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 10:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Damage of Shaken Baby Syndrome

Brodie Christopher Barry was shaken by his father, Garth Te Waaka, when he was four weeks old. Brodie cannot control his movement, he probably is blind, and 25% of his brain does not work. Te Waaka faces two charges of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to wound and remains in custody.

The devastating damage of shaken baby syndrome

Brodie's grandmother says that the boy was lucky to have survived the ordeal. She says immediately after seeing his after he had been shaken that she "knew as soon as she saw him that he was not right." Brodie's grandmother says that child abuse "needs to be out in the open."

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 12:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Former Austin Mayor Holds TBI Fundraiser

Bruce Todd, Austin's former mayor, is helping raise money for the Brain Injury Association of Texas. Todd was participating in an Austin Cycling Association recreational ride one year ago when he fell onto the pavement, face first. He suffered a brain injury and multiple broker bones in the crash, and has credited a helmet with saving his life.

Former Austin mayor holds fundraiser

Todd had to enter rehabilitation after his injury and has since become an advocate for driver and cyclist education. Todd will honor his friends, family, and the medical staff who helped him through his ordeal.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 12:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Concussions Shouldn't be Taken Lightly

Ainsley Gourlay suffered her first concussion while ski racing; her parents were concerned, but not to the point that they did anything. However, after Gourlay's second concussion a month later, Gourlay began showing lasting problems from her injury. Gourlay was irritable, dizzy, had headaches, and was unable to concentrate or read. Gourlay's mother says that Gourlay "missed two solid weeks of school before she could function."

Concussions Are No Small Ding

After the second concussion, Gourlay was told not to participate in contact sports for two months and was even advised not to climb stairs because it would lead to a raised blood pressure. Concussions in high school athletes are a big cause for concern. Many of these injuries go unreported. Helmets can help defend against concussions and many physicians are suggesting that neurocognitive screening may be an important tool in deciding the seriousness of concussions in young people in the future.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 10:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Titans' LaBoy Gets Second Opinion on Concussion

Travis LaBoy, defensive end for the Tennessee Titans, is to get a second opinion as he recovers from a concussion. LaBoy suffered the concussion in the November 12 game against the Ravens and missed last Sunday's game against the Eagles. Titans coach Jeff Fisher said of the decision to send LaBoy to a specialist: "It makes sense to go out and do the complete study. He is improving, however. He is feeling much better, but because of the history and the length of time it took on the previous one, we are going to make sure.''

Titans DE LaBoy to get second opinion on concussion

LaBoy has a history of concussions. During his first year in the National Football League, he missed his first three games as a consequence of a concussion that he had suffered in the preseason.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 08:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Causes and Effects of TBI

A recent article in the Toronto Star explains what happens in a traumatic brain injury. A traumatic brain injury begins seconds after the head is hit. If the hit is strong enough, the brain is smashed against the ridges and spike-like contours of the inner wall of the skill. This can cause a contusion or a bruising of the brain. Blood vessels may then tear, leaking blood into the brain. With large amounts of blood, areas that control breathing or heart rate can be affected and the affected person can die.

Cause and effects of a traumatic brain injury

Swelling from brain injury can also occur. The brain swells with the increased flow of blood flow to the injured tissue, which often is accompanied by a collection of water or edema. As a result, pressure is placed on the brain, which can result in further damage to the brain tissue.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 11:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Couple Gets Millions for Son's Brain Injury

A South African couple has won millions after their son was brain damaged at birth 18 years ago. The couple alleged that the doctor who delivered their baby was negligent when the baby was born. From the settlement, the couple will be able to afford the best medical and palliative care and physical equipment for their son, who has cerebral palsy.

Couple get millions after son brain-damaged

When the parents initially approached the South African Medical and Dental Council to investigate the matter 16 years ago, the council did not find negligence and closed the matter. About four years ago, the parents were advised to seek legal action against the doctor. The settlement was based on the future medical expenses, loss of earnings the son could have had, and pain and suffering. "I am very happy that the case is over. Justice has been done," said Ross McCann, father of the boy.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 12:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Brain Injury Changes Young Athlete's Life

TJ Webber, a young man from Salem, Oregon, was longboarding with his friends without a helmet when, at high speeds, he fell and suffered a traumatic brain injury. He received multiple skull fractures, brain contusions and an injured brain stem. His family worked to raise money to deal with over $100,000 in medical bills. The insurance company ultimately sent him to the Centre for Neuro Skills, where he was retaught basic problem solving, short-term memory skills and life skills, such as coping with adversity and decision making. As TJ will only be at the Centre for a few more weeks, his family is worried as the insurance won’t cover his therapy any longer. According to an official with the Brain Injury Association, those that do not receive complete treatment for traumatic brain injury often end up in jail, a mental hospital or homeless.

Posted by Ryan Jardine at 09:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Brain Trauma Disastrous for U.S. Troops in Iraq

Spc. Nicholas Boutin keeps a piece of his skull wrapped in a clear plastic bag in the freezer at his parents' home. An Iraqi insurgent dropped a grenade into Boutin's vehicle, destroying the left side of Boutin's face with shrapnel. Armour and a Kevlar helmet saved Boutin's life, but left him with brain trauma. Brain trauma rapidly is becoming the signature wound of the war in Iraq. In previous wars, only 14 to 20 percent of wounded soldiers suffered traumatic brain injury; about 62 percent of soldiers wounded in Iraq suffer from brain damage.

Boutin suffers from paralysis on his right side and struggles to remember the names of his family members. "We are doing a better job with the survival of patients," said Lt. Col. Rocco Armonda, one of Boutin's neurosurgeons. "But that's a double-edged sword. It also means we are seeing a lot more patients who are severely injured."

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 01:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Alzheimer's Drug Helps TBI Patients

Traumatic brain injury patients who took the Alzheimer's drug Rivastigmine performed significantly better on attention and verbal memory test than those taking a placebo. The drug worked better in improving the performance of those with severe memory loss as a result of brain injury. Dr. Douglas Katz, of the Braintree Rehabilitation Hospital and Boston University School of Medicine, said that memory loss is one of the most severe consequences of traumatic brain injury: “Traumatic brain injury affects various aspects of memory. We have been looking at various types of medications that can improve the neurotransmitters in the brain -- the chemical messengers that we use in our brain to help cells communicate with one another."

Rivastigmine was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2000 for treatment of Alzheimer's disease. It is believed to enhance the function of acetylcholine, which is a neurotransmitter important in memory and learning. Rivastigmine is not yet approved for treatment of traumatic brain injuries.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 01:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Father of Injured Football Player Warns Others

Ralph Conradt, whose son Max was suffered numerous concussions while playing football, questions why people are more concerned about school shootings than the traumatic brain injuries that many young athletes suffers. After all, more kids die as a result of traumatic brain injury suffered on the field than those who are shot and killed in school shootings. Conradt speculates that this is because the media does not want to alienate the college football industry that brings in revenue by suggesting that children should be not be allowed to play contact sports.

Football Danger

Max was wearing a 20-year old helmet that had been deemed game-worthy the year that he was injured. He also had not been allowed time to heal from a previous concussion, so he ended up suffering from secondary impact syndrome, which caused him permanent severe brain damage. The lawsuit filed by Conradt on the part of Max put the refurbisher out of business, but Conradt says that it does not bring back his son and tells other parents to inspect helmets their children wear while playing contact sports.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 11:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

December 29, 2006

Head Restraint Position May Be Key in Avoiding Whiplash

Gene Variation Could Help Traumatic Brain Injury Victims

December 28, 2006

Shaking Probable Cause of Girl's Brain Injury

December 27, 2006

Laughter Stimulates the Brain

December 26, 2006

Researchers Attempt to Treat Traumatic Brain Injury With Stem Cells

Alcohol May Help in Traumatic Brain Injury Recovery

Brain Injury Program Stalls

December 25, 2006

"Heading" a Football Causes Brain Damage

December 22, 2006

Brain Injury the Cause of Violence

December 21, 2006

Gap in Insurance for Brain Injury Victims

December 20, 2006

Brain Injury Keeps Man from Jail

December 19, 2006

Brain Injury Support Group Criticizes Funding Priorities

December 18, 2006

Chronic Back Pain Linked to Changes in the Brain

December 15, 2006

How Does Chemo Damage Brain Cells?

December 14, 2006

Brain Injury Warning

December 13, 2006

The Damage of Shaken Baby Syndrome

December 12, 2006

Former Austin Mayor Holds TBI Fundraiser

December 11, 2006

Concussions Shouldn't be Taken Lightly

December 08, 2006

Titans' LaBoy Gets Second Opinion on Concussion

December 07, 2006

Causes and Effects of TBI

December 06, 2006

Couple Gets Millions for Son's Brain Injury

December 05, 2006

Brain Injury Changes Young Athlete's Life

Brain Trauma Disastrous for U.S. Troops in Iraq

December 04, 2006

Alzheimer's Drug Helps TBI Patients

December 01, 2006

Father of Injured Football Player Warns Others