Research Reports

Assessment

Reliability, Sensitivity, and Specificity of the VA Traumatic Brain Injury Screening Tool

1/9/12 ... The VATBIST appears to be a reliable and valid instrument.

The neurological wake-up test increases stress hormone levels in patients with severe traumatic brain injury

1/11/12 ... The neurological wake-up test induces a biochemical stress response in patients with severe traumatic brain injury.

Towards developing a guideline for vocational evaluation following traumatic brain injury

1/23/12 ... Vocation evaluation should include the assessment of: the meaning clients ascribe to work following a TBI and their post-injury goals; clients' self-perceptions of work competency, work readiness and anticipated challenges with return to work; and the available supports.

Reliability and validity of Questionnaire for Neurobehavioral Disability following traumatic brain injury

1/26/12 ... The present results indicate that this questionnaire has good reliability and validity, therefore it can be a significant indicator in TBI neurobehavioral disability study.

Validity of the Six-Minute Walk Test in individuals with traumatic brain injury

1/31/12 ... The 6MW provides a good estimate of peak aerobic capacity and some measures are more responsive to change than others in patients recovering from TBI.

Utility of routine follow-up head CT scanning after mild traumatic brain injury

2/13/12 ... A literature review of the efficacy of routine follow-up CT scans of the head after complicated mild traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Diagnostic confirmation of mild traumatic brain injury by diffusion tensor imaging: a case report

2/17/12 ... Minor traumatic brain injury is a common injury with variable clinical presentation. The system of diagnosis used in this case found a significant relationship between the clinical assessment and imaging results.

Children

Cord Blood Stem Cells for Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury

1/17/11 ... The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) has begun enrollment for the first Phase I safety study approved by the Food and Drug Administration to investigate the use of a child's own umbilical cord blood stem cells for traumatic brain injury in children.

Study finds headaches after traumatic brain injury highest in adolescents and girls

12/8/11 ... Headaches more frequent in youth 3 months after mild traumatic head injuries compared to those with arm injuries.

Spinal bleeding with brain injury may suggest abuse in young children

12/23/11 ... A new study found that spinal bleeding is found often in young children who are victims of abusive trauma.

Prevalence of clinically important traumatic brain injuries in children with minor blunt head trauma and isolated severe injury mechanisms

1/4/11 ... Children with isolated severe injury mechanisms are at low risk of clinically important TBI, and many do not require emergent neuroimaging.

Intellectual outcome from preschool traumatic brain injury: A 5-year prospective, longitudinal study

1/5/11 ... This study has confirmed the high risk of persisting and global deficits associated with severe brain insult in early childhood.

Impact of posttraumatic stress disorder and injury severity on recovery in children with traumatic brain injury

1/13/12 ... children with TBI and PTSD did not experience as much psychosocial recovery as those without PTSD.

Social function in children and adolescents after traumatic brain injury: a systematic review

1/25/12 ... The weight of evidence confirmed an elevated risk of social impairment in the context of moderate and severe injury.

Neurophysiology

Electrical Brain Disturbances Linked to Worse Outcomes Following Neurotrauma

6/20/11 ... Electrical disturbances that spread through an injured brain like tsunamis have a direct link to poor recovery and can last far longer than previously realized, researchers at the University of Cincinnati Neuroscience Institute (UCNI) have found.

How Brain's Memory Center Repairs Damage from Head Injury

5/2/11 ... Researchers from UT Southwestern Medical Center have described for the first time how the brain's memory center repairs itself following severe trauma -- a process that may explain why it is harder to bounce back after multiple head injuries.

New understanding of brain chemistry could prevent brain damage after injury

6/6/11 ... A protective molecule has been identified in the brain which, if used artificially, may prevent brain damage from the likes of stroke, head injury and Alzheimer's.

Radar Shows Promise for Detecting Concussions in Athletes and Soldiers

5/23/11 ... Walking and thinking at the same time can be especially difficult for persons who've suffered concussions, and scientists hope to use that multitasking challenge -- measured by a simple radar system -- to quickly screen individuals who may have suffered brain injuries.

Study of how brain corrects perceptual errors has implications for brain injuries, robotics

3/28/11 ... New research provides the first evidence that sensory recalibration - the brain's automatic correcting of errors in our sensory or perceptual systems - can occur instantly.

Bioengineers Identify the Cellular Mechanisms of Traumatic Brain Injury

08/15/11 ... Bioengineers at Harvard have identified, for the very first time, the mechanism for diffuse axonal injury and explained why cerebral vasospasm is more common in blast-induced brain injuries than in brain injuries typically suffered by civilians.

Brain connectivity disrupted in patients with post-concussive syndrome

08/22/11 ... A new study has found that patients with mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) exhibit abnormal functional connectivity in the thalamus, a centrally located relay station for transmitting information throughout the brain.

Brain tsunamis' are clue to helping victims of major head injuries

12/28/11 ... Treating 'brain tsunamis' or 'killer waves' could stop many victims of major head injury from suffering additional brain damage, a study published in Lancet Neurology has found.

Prognostic value of various intracranial pathologies in traumatic brain injury

1/3/12 ... Various intracranial pathologies in traumatic brain injury (TBI) can help to predict patient outcomes.

Challenges of identifying cognitive abilities in severely brain-injured patients

2/14/12 ... Only by employing complex machine-learning techniques to decipher repeated advanced brain scans were researchers at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell able to provide evidence that a patient with a severe brain injury could, in her way, communicate accurately.

Outcome

TBI 13 years on: factors associated with post-traumatic growth

1/18/12 ... Clinicians should be aware of PTG and how it is associated with factors such as "meaning" and "purpose" as well as demographic factors such as, social support, activity such as work, new and stable relationships, milder disability and a shift towards spiritual values.

Racial and ethnic disparities in employment outcomes for persons with traumatic brain injury

1/19/12 ... The odds of competitive employment were significantly greater for whites versus blacks and Hispanics.

Relationship between hyperglycemia and outcome in children with severe traumatic brain injury

1/20/12 ... In children with severe traumatic brain injury, hyperglycemia beyond the initial 48 hrs is associated with poor outcome.

Late presentations of minor head injury

2/3/12 ... Patients with minor head injury who present over 4 h post-insult exhibit a similar risk of intracranial pathology to those presenting within 4 h.

Effect of posttraumatic thyroid hormone levels on severity and mortality of patients with severe traumatic brain injury

2/15/12 ... The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of thyroid hormones after traumatic brain injury in the severity and mortality and gain a clue in brain injury prognosis.

Prevention

Shielding Body Protects Brain From 'Shell Shocking' Blast Injuries

5/16/11 ... Stronger and tougher body armor to shield the chest, abdomen and back may be just what soldiers fighting in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars need to better protect their brains from mild injuries tied to so-called "shell shock," results of a Johns Hopkins study in mice suggest.

Probiotics reduce infections for traumatic brain injury patients in intensive care

12/19/11 ... New research shows that including probiotics with nutrients reduced the amount of time patients spent in intensive care.

Sports

Does Baseline Concussion Testing Really Reduce Risks to Athletes?

6/13/11 ... Baseline concussion tests given to hundreds of thousands of athletes might, paradoxically, increase risks in some cases, according to a Loyola University Health System researcher.

Study Takes Closer Look at Brain Abnormalities in Athletes with CTE

7/18/11 ... New Findings Provide Important Data for Refining Diagnosis.

Visual test effective in diagnosing concussions in collegiate athletes

09/06/11 ... A sideline visual test effectively detected concussions in collegiate athletes, according to a team of researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Concussed athletes scored an average of 5.9 seconds slower (worse) than the best baseline scores in healthy controls on the timed test, in which athletes read a series of numbers on cards and are scored on time and accuracy.

Concussion Testing Should Not Overlook Physiology

12/21/11 ... Research finds impaired cerebrovascular reactivity among concussed athletes.

Routine Head Hits in School Sports May Cause Brain Injury

12/22/11 ... The brain scans of high school football and hockey players showed subtle injury -- even if they did not suffer a concussion -- after taking routine hits to the head during the normal course of play.

Study Shows Second Impact Syndrome Occurrences Increasing, New York Passes Concussion Management and Awareness Act

12/26/11 ... More and more sports athletes are suffering from Second Impact Syndrome (SIS). A study published in the Journal of Pediatrics draws attention to the potential dangers of interscholastic sports.

Second impact syndrome or cerebral swelling after sporting head injury

1/24/12 ... Second impact syndrome is believed to be the catastrophic consequence of repeated head injury in sport.

Statistics

Construction Industry Has Highest Number of Traumatic Brain Injuries in US Workplace

6/27/11 ... The construction industry had the highest number of TBIs and the agriculture, forestry, and fishing industry had the highest rates.

Traumatic brain injury in an aging population

1/12/12 ... Epidemiology of traumatic brain injury (TBI) is changing in several western countries, with an increasing proportion of elderly TBI patients admitted to ICU.

Traumatic brain injuries are likely more common than previously thought

2/16/12 ... Though researchers are becoming increasingly aware of the long-term effects of head injury, few studies have looked at the prevalence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in all age groups, including males and females, taking into account both mild and serious events.

Symptoms

Risk Factors Predictive of Psychiatric Symptoms After Traumatic Brain Injury

7/25/11 ... A history of psychiatric illness such as depression or anxiety before a traumatic brain injury (TBI), together with other risk factors, are strongly predictive of post-TBI psychiatric disorders.

Survey Reveals Nearly 80 Percent of Respondents Suffer Added Burden of Neurologic Condition with Debilitating Social Impact

1/10/11 ... A survey released today by the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) indicates that approximately 80 percent of survey respondents experience symptoms of an additional neurologic condition called pseudobulbar affect (PBA).

Lack of Empathy Following Traumatic Brain Injury Associated With Reduced Responsiveness to Anger

8/1/11 ... A new study has recently revealed evidence of a relationship between physiological responses to anger and a reduction of emotional empathy post-injury.

Single Traumatic Brain Injury May Prompt Long-Term Neurodegeneration

8/8/11 ... Years after a single traumatic brain injury (TBI), survivors still show changes in their brains. In a new study, researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania suggest that Alzheimer's disease-like neurodegeneration may be initiated or accelerated following a single traumatic brain injury, even in young adults.

Traumatic Brain Injury Linked With Tenfold Increase in Stroke Risk

08/29/11 ... If you suffer traumatic brain injury, your risk of having a stroke within three months may increase tenfold, according to a new study.

Withdrawing Life Support for Traumatic Brain Injuries Needs Cautious Approach

09/12/11 ... Death following severe traumatic brain injury is associated with a highly variable incidence of withdrawal of life support at the end of life, finds a new study.

Low oxygen (hypoxia) is key factor affecting outcomes after traumatic brain injury

12/27/11 ... Study Has Important Implications for Patient Monitoring after Head Trauma.

Violent Crime, Epilepsy, and Traumatic Brain Injury

12/30/11 ... Commentary on research about the relationship between traumatic brain injury, epilepsy and violent crime.

Long-lasting TMS motor threshold elevation in mild traumatic brain injury

1/2/12 ... Results of a recent study show chronic motor threshold (MT) elevation in a sample of subjects with symptomatic or recovered MTBI.

Effect of osmotic agents on regional cerebral blood flow in traumatic brain injury

1/10/12 ... Osmotic agents, in addition to lowering ICP, improve CBF to hypoperfused brain regions in patients with intracranial hypertension after TBI.

Factors contributing to chronic fatigue after traumatic brain injury

1/17/12 ... Poor sleep, vitamin D deficiency, and anxiety were the most important factors associated with chronic fatigue after TBI.

Traumatic head injury in cluster headache: Cause or effect?

1/30/12 ... A better understanding of the association between head trauma and CH may provide important insights into both the pathophysiology of CH and the mechanisms by which traumatic head injury predisposes patients to developing headaches.

Development of posttraumatic stress disorder after mild traumatic brain injury

1/2/12 ... Results suggest that personality characteristics and attribution regarding the injury may impact the development of PTSD.

Influence of bodily injuries on symptom reporting following mild traumatic brain injury

2/6/12 ... In this study as the severity of bodily injuries increased, symptom burden decreased.

Depression following traumatic brain injury: Epidemiology, risk factors and management

2/7/12 ... It is important for clinicians to recognize major depression following traumatic brain injury (TBI) because of its association with poor global and psychosocial outcome, postconcussive symptoms and cognitive deficits.

Characteristics of acute posttraumatic headache following mild head injury

2/10/12 ... Study examines the prevalence and characteristics of acute posttraumatic headache (APTH) attributed to mild head injury within a prospective, observational study design.

Treatment

Cooling' Treatment Could Save Lives And Reduce Brain Damage

4/11/11 ... More people who suffer cardiac arrests could soon be offered a cooling treatment to reduce the risks of them dying or becoming severely brain damaged.

Protein and calories can help lessen effects of severe traumatic brain injury

5/9/11 ... Evidence from several studies of severely brain-injured patients shows that providing energy and protein to patients early reduces inflammation and improves their outcomes.

Religion benefits traumatic brain injury victims, Wayne State University research finds

7/5/11 ... Researchers find that if traumatic brain injury (TBI) victims feel close to a higher power, it can help them rehabilitate.

Researchers evaluate red wine compound for treating concussions

5/31/11 ... UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers are engaging the help of professional boxers and trainers to study whether a component in red wine and grapes could help reduce the short- and long-term effects of concussions.

Scientists Devise Way to Sort Brain Cells for Potential Transplants

7/11/11 ... University of Florida scientists have discovered a way to separate the neural wheat from the chaff during the process of generating brain cells for potential patient therapies.

Self-administered light therapy may improve cognitive function after traumatic brain injury

3/21/11 ... At-home, daily application of light therapy via light-emitting diodes (LEDs) placed on the forehead and scalp led to improvements in cognitive function and post-traumatic stress disorder in patients with a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

UCSF, UC Berkeley join forces to advance frontier of brain repair

4/4/11 ... Neuroscientists and engineers at UCSF and UC Berkeley have joined forces to help pioneer a new frontier of brain repair - the development of devices that would allow patients with such conditions as stroke, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury and Lou Gehrig's disease to control prosthetics through thoughts alone.

Human Skin Cells Converted Directly into Functional Neurons

09/19/11 ... Columbia University Medical Center researchers have for the first time directly converted human skin cells into functional forebrain neurons, without the need for stem cells of any kind.

Potential of simple injection on patients with head injury

09/26/11 ... New research has suggested that tranexamic acid has the potential to prevent people dying from head injuries.

Research shows Rx with hyperbaric oxygen improved TBI and PTSD in vets

12/01/11 ... Research has found that treatment with hyperbaric oxygen nearly three years after injury significantly improved function and quality of life for veterans with traumatic brain injury.

Effects of probiotics on clinical outcomes in severe traumatic brain-injured patients

12/29/11 ... Shorter ICU stays were observed among patients treated with probiotic therapy.

Prehospital fluid management in traumatic brain injury

1/6/12 ... The early management of patients who have sustained traumatic brain injury is aimed at preventing secondary brain injury through avoidance of cerebral hypoxia and hypoperfusion.

Physical exercise ameliorates deficits induced by traumatic brain injury

1/16/12 ... Physical exercise diminishes cerebral inflammation by elevating factors and agents involved in immunomodulatory function, and buttresses glial cell, cerebrovascular, and blood-brain barrier intactness. It provides unique non-pharmacologic intervention.