Brain Injury

Breakthrough gives hope to families of vegetative patients

August 23, 2013 | Kraft Davies Olsson PLLC

A new approach to scanning the brains of vegetative patients may help physicians determine which patients are conscious, semi-conscious and unconscious. When patients are in comas or vegetative states, it may be difficult to tell if their injuries have rendered them completely unconscious or in a state of semi-consciousness. However, a newly released research study out of Canada indicates that specialized MRI scans may reveal just how conscious or unconscious patients truly are.

This news is providing hope for families of coma patients with traumatic brain injuries. Understanding whether or not their loved one is somewhat conscious or completely unconscious may help them determine how to proceed with their loved one’s care plan.

The Canadian study is nothing less than shocking. Of those patients tested with functional magnetic resonance imaging, three patients in comas or persistent vegetative states were able to answer simple questions “yes” or “no.” One patient who had spent 12 years in a vegetative state indicated that he knew both where he was and what his name is.

New measurements may help victims of traumatic brain injury

August 9, 2013 | Kraft Davies Olsson PLLC

When military personnel, athletes and accident victims are knocked around as a result of blast force or impact trauma, the consequences can be devastating. Americans now understand that even relatively minor accidents can lead to both traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and lasting brain damage generally. However, the military, the sports world and the medical industry are only now beginning to understand just how long-term TBI symptoms develop and may be treated.

Not so long ago, it was thought that only major accidents could result in TBI. However, the public is increasingly being educated on the fact that multiple minor traumas and repeated hits can also lead to many long-term effects of TBI. Brain experts within the medical community, the sports world and the military are continually finding ways to explore the phenomenon of TBI development with an aim of better preventing, diagnosing and treating these injuries.

Recent efforts by the military focus on the intersection of TBI and concussive blasts. In particular, experts are curious about the ways in which TBI develops in response to concussive blasts. Much like the sports world, the military has long-approached TBI as an issue primarily contained to major accidents and trauma. However, evidence suggests that exposure to multiple concussive blasts over time can lead to TBI development in many cases.

Exploring possible links between TBI and Alzheimer’s

July 5, 2013 | Kraft Davies Olsson PLLC

A study recently published in the journal Neurology suggests that certain kinds of head trauma mirrors the kind of grey matter changes which occur in the early stages of Alzheimer’s development. Whether this parallel means that traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) cause Alzheimer’s or simply alter the brain in similar ways has yet to be determined.

Experts at the Pittsburgh School of Medicine studied this potential link between TBI and Alzheimer’s and created the piece published in Neurology. Their work will almost certainly inspire future studies that could ultimately impact the ways in which medical professionals diagnose, treat and prevent both TBI and Alzheimer’s. These developments could, in turn, dramatically impact the lives of accident victims and Alzheimer’s patients.

The study’s lead author recently explained why the discovery of this potential link is so critical. He noted that, “Traditionally, it has been believed that patients with mild TBI have symptoms because of abnormalities secondary to direct injury. Our preliminary findings suggest that the initial traumatic event that caused the concussion acts as a trigger for a sequence of degenerative changes in the brain that result in patient symptoms and that may be potentially prevented.”

Fishing Industry Ranks High for Traumatic Brain Injuries

August 27, 2012 | Kraft Davies Olsson PLLC

The American Journal of Preventative Medicine released a study last year assessing the risk for traumatic brain injury in the workplace. Although traumatic brain injury is one of the leading causes of death and disability in the U.S., work-related traumatic brain injury had not been well documented prior to the study. The study titled The Epidemiology of Fatal Occupational Traumatic Brain Injury in the U.S. looked at the epidemiologic characteristics and temporal trends of fatal occupational traumatic brain injury in the U.S between 2003 and 2008.

The researchers concluded that the construction industry had the highest number of traumatic brain injuries, and the agriculture, forestry, and fishing industry had the highest rates. The leading causes of occupational traumatic brain injury death were as follows: motor vehicle (31%); falls (29%); assaults and violent acts (20%); and contact with objects/equipment (18%). Additionally, workers aged 65 years or older in all industries were at higher risk for traumatic brain injuries and would be a good target for future prevention efforts.

The report suggests that U.S. employers should take more precautions to prevent work-related traumatic brain injuries through the use of safety equipment such as hard hats and fall protection. Researchers based their findings on data from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injury (CFOI). The leading causes of fatal traumatic brain injuries on worksites were motor vehicle accidents and falls.