Patients with severe aortic stenosis (narrowing of the aortic valve) undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) benefited from using a cerebral protection device. The minimally invasive procedure repairs the old valve without removing the damaged valve. The cerebral protection device captures debris dislodged during the procedure and reduced the number and volume of brain lesions(…)
Eight million people live in New York City. Of those people, one million are over the age of 60. Over the next 20 years, the number will increase by 50 percent, the biggest shift in history, making the age friendly initiative ever more important. We talked to Ruth Finkelstein, professor of health policy and management(…)
Alzheimer’s disease can be a tough go. So one researcher is looking at how we can improve the quality of life for these people using a brain chip. Even the smallest of improvements in memory can help a person living with Alzheimer’s maintain their dignity and, hopefully, independence. Alzheimer’s is of particular interest because it(…)
Omega-3 fatty acids are just good for you. They are found naturally in fish or can be taken as dietary supplements. New research out of Columbia University showed that omega-3 fatty acids reduced brain damage in a neonatal mouse model of stroke. The study was published in PLOS ONE. 10-day-old mice had a hypoxic-ischemic brain(…)
Researchers have discovered the parts of the brain responsible for comprehending and computing real time physics calculations, which help us better understand the world around us. The research is coming out of a combined effort of Johns Hopkins Krieger School of Arts and Sciences and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). “We run physics simulations(…)
By Jennifer Ball A new study in the journal Neuron describes a whole new way of mapping the brain at the resolution of individual neurons. This new method was demonstrated successfully in the mouse brain. Anthony Zador, MD, PhD, professor at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, said that their method is different than the usual methods(…)
Ann Zuccardy used to think that being smart depended on how much knowledge and information a person had stored in their mental framework. It was only after she suffered a mild traumatic brain injury that she figured out that being smart was not just about knowledge. Charged with this life challenge of brain injury, she(…)
A football team bus crashed on the highway, killing four people, while it was carrying Clinton College’s team. In addition, 42 other passengers, whose injuries ranged from minor to critical, were taken to area hospitals. The bus’ front left tire blew, which made the bus travel out of control into the median. The bus hit(…)
A study published in JAMA Neurology demonstrated that ice hockey players with postconcussion syndrome (PCS) had higher levels of neurofilament light proteins and lower levels of amyloid β. The objective of the study was “to determine whether persistent symptoms after mTBI are associated with brain injury as evaluated by cerebrospinal fluid biochemical markers for axonal(…)
A study published in the journal Scientific Reports demonstrated how brain injury spreads and how it could potentially be limited with a neuroprotective mechanism. The discovery was made in a collaboration between neuroscientists and engineers at the Universities of Dundee and Strathclyde. The study was published online Sept. 21, 2016. The researchers, led by Andrew(…)
Last week we wrote about a study published recently in the journal Scientific Reports that demonstrated how brain damage spreads and how it could be limited with a neuroprotective mechanism. Following this blog, we decided to talk to the lead author of this study, Andrew Samson, who works in the division of neuroscience at the(…)
Deep brain stimulation (DBS), which sends electrical impulses to certain areas of the brain, may help people with chronic, disabling traumatic brain injury and problems of behavioral and emotional regulation. The study was published in the journal Neurosurgery, and the abstract may be viewed here. The study states that severe traumatic brain injury “damages the(…)
This week, NPR had a story about a man who had a confirmed case of concussion and then post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after coming home from war. The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq has produced many cases like this man, where it starts as a concussion and ultimately turns out to be PTSD. The(…)
Concussions are a serious injury, even if they are considered “mild” on the spectrum of brain injury severity. Of the 1.5 million TBIs that occur annually, it is estimated that about 80 percent are mild. This data comes from hospital emergency rooms. Since most people with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) consult a primary care(…)
By: Michelle Peterson Learning that someone you care about is struggling with addiction is frightening, particularly if they have not yet begun receiving help. Helping a loved one through their addiction is not something you should take on without understanding what you’re getting into. You should never attempt to handle a situation like this by(…)
We wrote a blog about some of the things you need to know about a mild traumatic brain injury, including what it is exactly. Today, we talk about some of the technicalities clinicians need to bear in mind when diagnosing mild traumatic brain injury. Before you read on, be sure to check out the definition of(…)
A former police officer from Colorado Springs is swearing by an experimental treatment for several concussions, according to CBS Denver. The therapy is a laser treatment that emits near infrared light into the person’s brain. The laser itself is FDA approved, but the treatment is experimental. The cost is $100 per treatment for first responders(…)
While most of the stories on this website revolve around research on brain injury on Earth, I thought this story about brains in outer space, which has been in the news a lot lately, was interesting. Yes, this new research about what is being called space brain has been in major news outlets, such as(…)
