Category Archives: Brain Injury Treatment

You want to tell your spouse about your day, but you cant find the words to do so. Countless times daily, theres a word on the tip of your tongue, but it just wont come out of your mouth. Writing a routine sentence a simple task years ago seems impossible. You could just imagine how frustrating any of that may be. And symptoms like these are an unfortunate reality for tens of thousands of New Jersey residents suffering from aphasia. Despite the prevalence of aphasia, which affects ones ability to express or process words and thoughts, professionals are still attempting to learn its intricacies and discover how many sufferers may be undiagnosed or untreated. According to the National Aphasia Association, about 25 to 40 percent of stroke survivors acquire the impairment. All sufferers have experienced some type of injury to the brain. To get a better handle on the acquired language disorder, and make recommendations for treatment, New Jersey is in the process of creating the Mike Adler Aphasia Task Force the product of a bill signed into law in May. The task force will consist of 13 members. Within 12 months of the groups organizational meeting, the task force … Continue reading →

The University of Virginia on Friday detailed plans to significantly expand its research of the human brain by investing in existing areas of strength in neuroscience. UVAs Board of Visitors approved $15.7 million over three years from the Strategic Investment Fund for the increased effort, a cross-disciplinary initiative called BRAIN, short for Bold Research Advancement in Neuroscience. University officials said BRAIN complements efforts of the previously established Brain Institute, a pan-University institute launched in 2016 to coordinate research and efforts to better understand the brain, seek new ways to prevent, treat and cure brain diseases and injury, and to teach about what is learned. Documentation supporting the BRAIN grant proposal highlighted UVAs recent successes in focused ultrasound, a technology used to treat a condition called essential tremor as well as other conditions; in epilepsy research and treatment; and in researching traumatic brain injury. We now have the opportunity to capitalize on these recent scientific breakthroughs at UVA, new technologies that we have helped develop and are currently developing, and the proximity of our schools to enable teams of basic, computational and clinical researchers to tackle important neuroscience problems together and to rapidly bring these breakthroughs to the clinic, Executive Vice … Continue reading →

THE Advance Hyperbaric Life-Support Inc. (AHLSI) is the largest and most advanced medical center offering hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in the Philippines. Located at a home-like facility in Quezon City, the AHLSI provides a sophisticated state-of-the-art technology for the treatment of chronic diseases, such as diving-related sicknesses, nonhealing diabetic wounds, stroke, TBI, sports injuries and carbon-monoxide poisoning, among others. The AHLSI, headed by Dr. Jose R. Bernardo and Jesus O. Co, is the only medical center across the archipelago with a state-of-the-art walk-in multiplace HBOT chamber, where patients can sit and relax while undergoing hyperbaric therapy. The HBOT, which originated from the scuba-diving community, involves the breathing of 100-percent medical-grade oxygen in a pressurized chamber. By inhaling this pressurized oxygen, the ambient pressure inside the body increased more than 10 times higher than normal air pressure. Thus, the HBOT enables the patients lungs and plasma to absorb more oxygen to infiltrate all tissues and cells in the body, which, in turn, enhances activity of white blood cells and immune system to fight infection and other health disorders. Aside from this, it is also proven to increase growth of stem cells, which are crucial to injury repair. The HBOT, said Dr. … Continue reading →

This new study confirms Avanir's intention to continue investing in the development of AVP-786. Avanir is also studying AVP-786 in clinical trials for residual schizophrenia and agitation associated with Alzheimer's disease. "Our focus at Avanir is on the symptoms of nervous system diseases that often have no other treatment options and that create significant additional burden for patients, families and caregivers," added Dr. Malamut. About AVP-786AVP-786 is a novel, next-generation investigational drug product consisting of a combination of deudextromethorphan (an uncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonist, sigma-1 receptor agonist and inhibitor of the serotonin (SERT) and norepinephrine (NET) transporters), and an ultra-low dose of quinidine. Incorporation of deuterium into the dextromethorphan molecule has been shown to reduce first-pass liver metabolism. By having a lower rate of metabolism, deudextromethorphan requires an ultra-low dose of quinidine (an inhibitor of the enzyme CYP 2D6) in the AVP-786 formulation. This may result in a reduced potential for drug interactions and cardiac effects. AVP-786 is an investigational drug not approved by the FDA. AboutAvanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc.Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on bringing innovative medicines to patients with central nervous system disorders of high unmet medical need. As part of our commitment, we have extensively … Continue reading →

Bethesda, Md. The brains of men and women are wired differently, and when it comes to traumatic brain injuries (TBI), women are more likely to develop subsequent neuropsychiatric disorders, like anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Until now, its been unclear why that is, but a new study by researchers at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) provides that missing link a potentially disrupted pathway in the brain. The study, Sex-dependent effects of mild brain blast injury on neuroendocrine stress response, was funded by the Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine at USU. The findings will be presented at the upcoming Endocrine Societys annual meeting by lead author Ashley Russell, a Neuroscience PhD candidate in the F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine at USU, and USU research assistant Elizabeth Shupe. Almost every tissue in the body is affected by the interaction between the nervous and endocrine systems. They produce the hormones that regulate sleep, mood and metabolism. USU researchers, in collaboration with colleagues at Colorado State University, sought to better understand why it is that blast brain injuries have a different impact on women and men, specifically in the neuroendocrine system. They conducted hormonal, behavioral and anatomical … Continue reading →

Citing increased competition,decreased occupancy and financial issues, the Crotched Mountain Foundations Board of Trustees voted Monday to close the Crotched Mountain Specialty Hospital. David Johnson, director of marketing at Crotched Mountain, saidthe hospital, which focuses on neuro-rehabilitation for people with brain injuries among other conditions, is projected to cease operations by Aug. 31. Johnson said if the board hadnt made the decision to close the specialty hospitals doors, it would have lost $4.8 million this year. On a whole, the foundation has had to absorb a $20 million loss because of thespecialty hospital. And you just cant absorb that, Johnson said. Its just an unsustainable operation. The hospital currently serves 30 patients, who will all have to be moved elsewhere in order to receive the treatment they need. Our priority is to discharge outpatients safely and smoothly, Johnson said soon after the decision was made. And well work with families, and guardians to make sure its as smooth as possible. The closure will also leave about 130 staff members in flux, according to Johnson. The foundation employs about 1,100 people, meaning the closure will affect about 12 percent of its workforce. This decision was not made lightly, Michael Coughlin, president … Continue reading →

June 6, 2017 by Travis Wearne, The Conversation People with traumatic brain injuries, say after a car accident or an assault, can have behavioural problems long after their physical injuries have healed. Credit: http://www.shutterstock.com Adam was fortunate to survive a major car accident three years ago. He was in hospital for several months but had no ongoing physical injuries. He looked like he made a full recovery. But he was argumentative, childish, vulgar and his family said he "was not the same person". Adam had a severe traumatic brain injury. What is traumatic brain injury? A traumatic brain injury is when the brain is damaged by an external mechanical force, like the type you may have in a car accident, if you fall, play sport or if you are assaulted. These injuries are usually in the news when sports players have a concussion; or in relation to drug and alcohol fuelled assaults where a blow to the head results in a damaging, sometimes fatal, fall to the ground (the coward's punch or king hit). Mostly, it's young adults, particularly men, who are affected. But many elderly people may get a traumatic brain injury when they fall. Australia has a growing … Continue reading →

People with traumatic brain injuries, say after a car accident or an assault, can have behavioural problems long after their physical injuries have healed. Adam was fortunate to survive a major car accident three years ago. He was in hospital for several months but had no ongoing physical injuries. He looked like he made a full recovery. But he was argumentative, childish, vulgar and his family said he was not the same person. Adam had a severe traumatic brain injury. A traumatic brain injury is when the brain is damaged by an external mechanical force, like the type you may have in a car accident, if you fall, play sport or if you are assaulted. These injuries are usually in the news when sports players have a concussion; or in relation to drug and alcohol fuelled assaults where a blow to the head results in a damaging, sometimes fatal, fall to the ground (the cowards punch or king hit). Mostly, its young adults, particularly men, who are affected. But many elderly people may get a traumatic brain injury when they fall. Australia has a growing population of survivors of traumatic brain injury. This is due to the young age of … Continue reading →

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - The University of Virginia is joining a national effort to understand and treat traumatic brain injuries. UVA professors in radiology are working to map the brain in extreme detail. They want to understand every cell and highway in the human mind to treat traumatic brain injury, otherwise known as TBI. The doctors and professors working on this project say TBI affects more than a million Americans. Professors will perform image scans on three thousand healthy adults in order to create their own "brain library." Doctors can use this tool as a point of reference when diagnosing their patients. They will have help from medical centers across the country like Baylor College of Medicine and San Antonio Medical Center. "By allowing for these advanced imaging sequences to move into clinical care that we'll be able to say things about what we expect the prognosis to be when they come into an emergency department, said James Stone, a UVA health radiology professor. Stone also explained that the image library will be useful for research of other neurologicaldisorders including multiple sclerosis and ALS. UVA health hopes to be using them to look into TBI treatment by the end of … Continue reading →

Rutgers University researchers have discovered that lithium, a mood stabilizer used for decades to treat bipolar disorder and serious depression, may also help preserve brain function in patients who suffer traumatic brain injury (TBI). TBI is caused by a blow to the head or other force that causes the brain to impact the skull. TBI disrupts normal brain function. It can result in memory loss, cognitive impairment, vision and hearing loss, depression, and personality changes. TBI is a major cause of death and disability, impacting more than 12,000 people a year in New Jersey alone. Medications prescribed to treat TBI generally focus on symptoms and pain relief, rather than preventing further damage. Rutgers researchers discovered that lithium, as well as rapamycin (an immunosuppressant used to treat cancer), protects healthy brain cells from a toxic buildup of chemicals that often results from a concussion. Under normal situations, the chemical glutamate is an important chemical for learning and memory. But a TBI can trigger a massive release of glutamate and the buildup becomes toxic, causing damage or death to the healthy cells. In the Rutgers research, scientists discovered that when these two FDA-approved medications were added to damaged cell cultures in the … Continue reading →