With more than one million athletes now experiencing a concussion each year in the United States, the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) has released an evidence-based guideline for evaluating and managing athletes with concussion. This new guideline replaces the 1997 AAN guideline on the same topic. The new guideline is published in the March 18, 2013, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, was developed through an objective evidence-based review of the literature by a multidisciplinary committee of experts and has been endorsed by a broad range of athletic, medical and patient groups. Read full article.
Category Archives: Latest News
MRI Finds Possible Vascular Injury After Mild Head Injury
Using MRI, researchers have detected linear hemorrhagic brain lesions suggestive of primary injury to the vasculature early after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), a finding that could have implications for acute treatment. Read full article.
Former stars spread awareness for head injuries
Former NFL All-Pro running back for the Philadelphia Eagles, Brian Westbrook, 33, former Philadelphia Flyers captain Keith Primeau, five-time MLS All-Star Taylor Twellman, former NFL linebacker Jim Nelson, former Green Bay Packers VP Andrew Brandt and other head safety advocates took part in a panel discussion of the “Concussion Conundrum,” Friday at Villanova University. They hope to bring greater awareness to concussions and the lingering effects that ruin the quality of life. Read full article.
Omega-3 Fatty Acid Reduces Risk of Developing Atrial Fibrillation
SAN FRANCISCO, CA—At the American College of Cardiology’s 62nd Annual Scientific Session, researchers presented that in post-cardiac surgery patients, omega-3 fatty acids (PUFA) therapy significantly reduces the risk of developing atrial fibrillation. Read full article.
Single Concussion May Lead to Lasting Brain Damage
TUESDAY, March 12 (HealthDay News) — Just one concussion can cause long-term structural damage to the brain, according to a new study. Read full article.
Vitamin D, omega-3 may help clear amyloid plaques found in Alzheimer’s
A team of academic researchers has pinpointed how vitamin D3 and omega-3 fatty acids may enhance the immune system’s ability to clear the brain of amyloid plaques, one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease. In a small pilot study published in the Feb. 5 issue of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, the scientists identified key genes and signaling networks regulated by vitamin D3 and the omega-3 fatty acid DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) that may help control inflammation and improve plaque clearance… Read full article.
New Research Points to Brain Injuries in College Football
As the National Football League continues to face scrutiny and litigation over concussions, new evidence shows that brain injuries may be a problem at the collegiate level too. According to a study published today in PLOS One, college football players who sustain hits to the head may experience long-term brain damage even if they aren’t concussed… Read full article.
Are brain injuries from IED blasts causing the military suicide crisis?
Traumatic brain injuries sustained by more than 200,000 U.S. troops may be fueling the military’s suicide crisis, according to a letter co-signed by 53 congressional members who are seeking additional data to investigate the new theory. [Note: Really? This a new theory?] Read full article.
American Football Players Aren’t the Only Ones With Head Injury Issues
It may not seem surprising that a sport that involves gigantic men slamming into one another goes hand-in-hand with head injury. But in American football, the severity of the life-long consequences has gone under appreciated until recently. And there are other sports that should be concerned. Soccer players who head the ball could be injuring their brains, as well, according to a recent paper in PLoS ONE… Read full article.
Could Omega 3 help prevent skin cancer?
Omega-3 oils are known to be beneficial when it comes to joint and cardiovascular health, and now scientists from the University of Manchester say that the oil could also play a role in helping to prevent skin cancer… Read full article.
Battle of the omega-3 forms: Triglycerides, ethyl esters, or phospholipids?
As the number of omega-3 sources in the market increases, including fish, krill, squid, algae, and plant, suppliers are increasingly using the omega-3 form to differentiate their products. But where does the science currently stand, which questions remain, and is cost a factor?… Read full article.
Fish Oil Saved Our Son – Bobby Ghassemi’s story
In March 2010, high school student Bobby Ghassemi was in a terrible car accident and airlifted to a nearby hospital. He had experienced severe brain trauma and was considered more dead than alive.
Bobby family believes an experimental treatment using high doses of fish oil helped him recover from his traumatic brain injury. His father, Peter Ghassemi, was frustrated at lack of progress and desperate for help. A friend connected him with Dr. Michael Lewis, the Founder of the Brain Health Education and Research Institute. Here is there story:
Fish oil saves life of boy with brain injury
(NaturalNews) In March 2010, high school student Bobby Ghassemi was taken out of his crashed vehicle and airlifted to a nearby Virginia hospital more dead than alive with severe brain trauma.
He was so much more dead than alive that the physician who eventually advised the Ghassemi family on using fish oil, Dr. Michael Lewis said, “For all intents and purposes, he was dead on the scene.”
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/037671_fish_oil_brain_injury_lifesaving.html#ixzz2AK0Y0rfH
Omega-3s show potential to protect against brain trauma
The potential benefits of omega-3s to reduce the long-term effects of brain trauma may be optimized by early administration, ‘in the emergency department or sooner’, says a new report.
Co-written by Dr. Michael Lewis, the founder of the Brain Health Education and Research Institute, Parviz Ghassemi, and Joseph Hibbeln, MD, and published in The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, the study is the first report of the use of omega-3s following a severe traumatic brain injury.
Read the full article here:
http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Research/Omega-3s-show-potential-to-protect-against-brain-trauma
Concussion Advice Your Kid’s Doctor Won’t Tell You
Missy Chase Lapine, creator of the Sneaky Chef series of books, wrote a wonderful article about how she added omega-3s to her daughter’s food after a concussion. She learned about using omega-3s from Dr. Michael Lewis, founder of the Brain Health Education & Research Institute.
New School programs tackle concussions
With about 4,000 New York children treated at hospitals each year for sports-related concussions, according to the state Health Department, the state and school districts are taking steps to increase awareness of concussion symptoms and implement policies to ensure proper treatment and prevent re-injury. The state Legislature enacted a law during the summer that requires school districts to adopt concussion management policies, and now school districts are reassessing existing policies or drafting new ones before the law takes effect July 1.
The Concussion Management and Awareness Act is part of a broader response to the problem of concussions in the past several years that has gained momentum with publicity over the long term damage caused by repeated concussions among NFL player
Read full article in the Journal News
Dr. Oz Recommends 5 Nutrients – Especially Omega-3s
Dr. Oz recommends 5 key nutrients we don’t usually get enough of in our diet. Number 5, and most important on his list (he even says it’s his favorite of the 5) is Omega-3 fatty acids! He explains it’s great for so many things, but especially important for the brain and memory function.
Nutrition: Brainpower Tied to Omega-3 Levels
Low blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids are associated with smaller brain volume and poorer performance on tests of mental acuity, even in people without apparent dementia, according to a new study.
In the analysis, published online Monday in the journal Neurology, scientists examined 1,575 dementia-free men and women whose average age was 67. The researchers analyzed the fatty acids of the subjects’ red blood cells, a more reliable measurement than a plasma blood test or an estimate based on diet. They used an M.R.I. scan to measure brain volume and white matter hyperintensities, a radiological finding indicative of vascular damage.
Read full article at the NY Times
Omega-3s and the Sago Mine Accident Miracle
Neurosurgeon Dr. Julian Bailes is often at the cutting edge of the latest treatments for people with brain injuries. Former NFL players and other notable people with brain injuries—including Randal McCloy Jr., the sole surviving miner in the 2006 Sago Mine disaster in West Virginia—have received his care. Dr. Oz talks with Dr. Bailes about how he used omega-3 fatty acids, a common nutritional supplement, to aid in Randal’s brain recovery.
Read more at Oprah.com: http://www.oprah.com/health/Amazing-Omega-3s#ixzz1qQPdLsKe
Brain Food, Fox Medical Team Explains
Research shows our memory starts slipping before we even hit 30. And by our 40’s and 50’s we start realizing we’re not quite as sharp as we used to be. But, a new study shows if you want to give your brain a boost, you might want to start by eating more fish.
A 60-year-old brain is not going to be as sharp as a 20-year-old brain.
As we get older, our brains are getting older, too. But a new study published in the journal Neurology shows certain foods may help you turn back the clock a little.