An experimental drug that reduces brain damage and improves motor skills among stroke-afflicted rodents when given with federally approved clot-busting therapy has been created.
A study, performed in mice and utilizing post-mortem samples of brains from patients with Alzheimer’s disease, found that a single event of a moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) can disrupt proteins that regulate an enzyme associated with Alzheimer’s. The paper, published in The Journal of Neuroscience, identifies the complex mechanisms that result in a rapid and robust post-injury elevation of the enzyme, BACE1, in the brain. These results may lead to the development of a drug treatment that targets this mechanism to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
New research would help emergency care workers and battlefield medics stabilize blood flow in the brains of traumatic injury victims. Researchers developed a nanoparticle-based antioxidant that quickly quenches free radicals that interfere with regulation of the brain’s vascular system.
Professional football players in this study were three times more likely to die as a result of diseases that damage brain cells compared to the general population. A player’s risk of death from Alzheimer’s disease or ALS was almost four times higher than the general population.
The brain’s key “breeder” cells secrete substances that boost the numbers and strength of critical brain-based immune cells believed to play a vital role in brain health. This finding adds a new dimension to our understanding of how resident stem cells and stem cell transplants may improve brain function.
A new study found soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with mild TBI have measurable abnormalities in white matter when compared to returning veterans who have not experienced TBI. These abnormalities appear to be related to the severity of the injury and are related to cognitive deficits.
New research into concussions sustained during sports shows damage to the brain can persist for decades after an original or head trauma. The long-term consequences of concussions include memory loss, attention deficits and motor control problems.
A new study finds lasting structural damage to the brain can be caused by a single concussion.
According to three new studies, numerous opportunities exist to improve the outcomes of TBI in older adults.
Researchers evaluate the pathological impact of single incident TBI and mild, repetitive traumatic brain injury, in order to learn which measures need to be taken to identify risk, early incidence and to reduce long term complications associated with TBI.
A new study supports p38α MAPK as a possible clinical target for treating central nervous system disorders associated with uncontrolled brain inflammation, including TBI.
Researchers note a considerable rise in the number of fall-induced traumatic brain injuries in elderly patients since the 1970's. Future studies are required to better understand the reasons for the increased numbers and provide effective interventions to prevent injury.
