Category Archives: Brain Injury Treatment

MARIETTA, Ga. (AP) - A metro Atlanta couple is being held in the Cobb County jail after their special needs son was hospitalized with a brain injury. Authorities say the child's father, 39-year-old Kenneth Thompson, is being held without bond on charges of battery and cruelty to children. The child's mother, 32-year-old Monica Knouff, is being held on $75,000 bond on charges of child deprivation and cruelty to children. The Marietta Daily Journal (http://bit.ly/10SYyOJ ) reports Thompson is accused of causing a brain injury that required the boy to be airlifted to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. Officials say the boy's mother is accused of failing to seek timely medical treatment for her son's injuries. Knouff's attorney says her client is not guilty and expects her to be exonerated. It's unclear if Thompson has a lawyer. Information from: Marietta Daily Journal, http://mdjonline.com/ Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. More here: Ga. couple arrested after son suffers brain injury … Continue reading →

A Medford man sustained serious brain injury after he reportedly tried to hold onto a motor vehicle before being flung from the car, according to police reports. Police on patrol reportedly saw an MIT ambulance treating a man lying in the middle of the intersection of Hampshire and Prospect streets at around 2:17 a.m. on April 6. A 25-year-old witness from Somerville reportedly told police he was in traffic behind a white car, described as a hybrid style sedan when he saw what appeared to be two men arguing inside the car. The witness reportedly heard one of the parties say, Give me the 20 dollars, and then saw a man exit the car. The man, later identified as a 36-year-old from Medford, reportedly began to walk away, but turned around and tried to get back into the car. The man reportedly grabbed onto the car door as it pulled away, increasing its speed as he held on, running beside it. The car reportedly accelerated dramatically and veered left, forcing the man to let go. The witness told police the car flipped him around, and then he fell on his head. The driver reportedly continued to drive towards Somerville without … Continue reading →

PHILADELPHIA Former NFL players trying to sue the league over concussion-linked injuries argued in court Tuesday that the NFL "glorified" violence and profited from damaging hits to the head. Players' lawyer David Frederick also accused the league of concealing the emerging science about concussions over several decades, even after creating a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury committee in 1994. "It set up a sham committee designed to get information about neurological risks, but in fact spread misinformation," Frederick argued at a pivotal federal hearing to determine if the complaints will remain in court or be sent to arbitration. U.S. District Judge Anita Brody's decision could be worth billions to either side. About 4,200 of the league's 12,000 former players have joined the litigation. Some are battling dementia, depression or Alzheimer's disease, and fault the league for rushing them back on the field after concussions. Others are worried about developing problems and want their health monitored. A handful, including popular Pro Bowler Junior Seau, have committed suicide. NFL lawyer Paul Clement insisted that teams bear the chief responsibility for health and safety under the players' collective bargaining agreement, along with others. 29 Photos "The one thing constant throughout is these agreements put … Continue reading →

Public release date: 8-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Ellen Slingsby eslingsby@lifespan.org 401-444-6421 Lifespan PROVIDENCE, R.I. A new study by a Rhode Island Hospital researcher has found that traumatic brain injury (TBI) can significantly increase the odds of having major depression, personality impulsivity and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES). The paper, by W. Curt LaFrance Jr., M.D., M.P.H., director of neuropsychiatry and behavioral neurology, is published online in advance of print in the journal Epilepsia. "Some patients who sustain a TBI develop seizures," LaFrance said. "Very often, these seizures are believed to be epileptic in nature, and the patient, therefore, is treated for epilepsy. Later the seizures are found to be PNES. This study demonstrates the prevalence of co-morbid mild TBI and PNES, which could suggest that some patients are being inappropriately treated for epilepsy with antiepileptic drugs, while not being treated for their actual illness: nonepileptic seizures." In this study, which compared patients with PNES and TBI to those without TBI, LaFrance found that 45 percent of patients with PNES also had TBI, and 73 percent of those TBIs were mild TBI. Patients who suffered a TBI had more mood disorder … Continue reading →

It was Superbowl Sunday of 2007, and Karen Cadle of Jackson, Miss., was lighting a stack of firewood in her fireplace to stay warm on a chilly winter night. Little did Karen know that the logs had been sprayed with cyanide poisoning a few hours earlier. Nor did she ever guess that lighting the match would cause a traumatic brain injury and change her life irrevocably. But within minutes of starting the fire, Karen could tell that something was seriously wrong. Twenty minutes later, I could tell I was having a severe allergic reaction, Karen recalls. The next day, I went to the doctor with a high fever and raw throat and sinuses. As it turned out, the toxic fumes that Karen inhaled damaged her sinuses, throat, lungs and brain, completely wiping out her short-term memory and logic function. RELATED: The 5 Most Effective Brain Boosters Before, I was a high-functioning, high IQ, senior-level executive. I was proficient at math and logic, Karen says. The accident shut it all down. No longer able to perform at an optimal level, Karen was forced to give up her 23-year career in the hospitality industry. This was one of the most challenging parts … Continue reading →

Newswise One of the most controversial topics in neurology today is the prevalence of serious permanent brain damage after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Long-term studies and a search for genetic risk factors are required in order to predict an individuals risk for serious permanent brain damage, according to a review article published by Sam Gandy, MD, PhD, from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in a special issue of Nature Reviews Neurology dedicated to TBI. About one percent of the population in the developed world has experienced TBI, which can cause serious long-term complications such as Alzheimers disease (AD) or chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which is marked by neuropsychiatric features such as dementia, Parkinsons disease, depression, and aggression. Patients may be normal for decades after the TBI event before they develop AD or CTE. Although first described in boxers in the 1920s, the association of CTE with battlefield exposure and sports, such as football and hockey, has only recently begun to attract public attention. Athletes such as David Duerson and Junior Seau have brought to light the need for preventive measures and early diagnosis of CTE, but it remains highly controversial because hard data are not available that … Continue reading →

Apr. 5, 2013 One of the most controversial topics in neurology today is the prevalence of serious permanent brain damage after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Long-term studies and a search for genetic risk factors are required in order to predict an individual's risk for serious permanent brain damage, according to a review article published by Sam Gandy, MD, PhD, from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in a special issue of Nature Reviews Neurology dedicated to TBI. About one percent of the population in the developed world has experienced TBI, which can cause serious long-term complications such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) or chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which is marked by neuropsychiatric features such as dementia, Parkinson's disease, depression, and aggression. Patients may be normal for decades after the TBI event before they develop AD or CTE. Although first described in boxers in the 1920s, the association of CTE with battlefield exposure and sports, such as football and hockey, has only recently begun to attract public attention. "Athletes such as David Duerson and Junior Seau have brought to light the need for preventive measures and early diagnosis of CTE, but it remains highly controversial because hard data are not … Continue reading →

By Maggie Fazeli Fard, The Washington Post Eliette Markhbeins exhibit about brain injuries includes images of Gabrielle Giffords, George Clooney and others. (Matthew Breitbart/National Museum of Health and Medicine) PORTRAITS 'Whack'ed,' National Museum of Health and Medicine Hemorrhages, blunt-force trauma and bullet wounds don't exactly scream "art." But in a new exhibit, the National Museum of Health and Medicine is honoring men and women who survived such traumatic brain injuries (TBI). The temporary exhibit -- titled "Whack'ed . . . and then everything was different" -- expands on the museum's standing TBI installation, which showcases human brain specimens as well as medical tools used for surgery, treatment and rehabilitation. Artist and TBI survivor Eliette Markhbein created the larger-than-life portrait series to raise awareness of TBIs. Her subjects include former congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (shot in 2011), quarterback Troy Aikman (suffered several concussions), actor George Clooney (injured in a fall on a movie set), news correspondent Bob Woodruff (wounded in Iraq) and musician Keith Richards (injured in a fall). Non-celebrity subjects include Claudia Carreon, a service member who was injured in Iraq, and Alexis Verzal, a 5-year-old who was badly shaken at 14 months. The museum describes Markhbein's technique, which combines cutting, … Continue reading →

By Alex Mooney, CNN updated 7:15 PM EDT, Tue April 2, 2013 STORY HIGHLIGHTS Washington (CNN) -- President Barack Obama on Tuesday unveiled a $100 million initiative to unlock the "enormous mystery" of the human brain in hopes of boosting the understanding and treatment of brain disorders. "What if computers could respond to our thoughts? Or language barriers could come tumbling down? Or if millions of Americans were suddenly finding new jobs in these fields -- jobs we haven't even dreamt up yet because we chose to invest in this project? That is the future we are imagining. That is what we are hoping for," the president said in an event in the East Room of the White House. The initiative, dubbed Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies, or BRAIN, "aims to help researchers find new ways to treat, cure, and even prevent brain disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, and traumatic brain injury," the White House said in a release issued in advance of the event. "There is this enormous mystery waiting to be unlocked," Obama said, "and the BRAIN Initiative will change that by giving scientists the tools they need to get a dynamic picture of the brain … Continue reading →

PHOENIX, April 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Some of the world's top brain experts at Barrow Neurological Institute are reacting to today's proposal by the Obama administration to create a $100-million project that will explore details of the brain to find better ways to treat neurological conditions such as traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer's disease, and stroke. Barrow performs more brain surgeries annually than any hospital in the United States. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130402/LA87861) Please consider the following physicians and their reactions for current and future stories you are preparing regarding this major announcement. To request interviews with one of these experts, please call 602-406-3319. Barrow is one of the world's most renowned brain institutes. Ranked among the top hospitals in the nation for neurology and neurosurgery, Barrow performs more brain surgeries annually than anywhere in the United States and is often sought after by patients and doctors from throughout the globe to treat the most complex brain disorders and cases. Barrow is also home to the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center. View post: Top Brain Experts React to President Obama's Brain Initiative … Continue reading →