Pediatricians often evaluate children after a head injury, but the adverse sequelae involving the visual system may not be readily apparent. Vision disorders after a concussion can have a major effect on children, delaying return to full-time learning activities. Neurologic pathways associated with the visual system are widely distributed throughout the brain, so it is not surprising
Researchers found giving rats exposed to a stressful environment extra doses of omega-3s resulted in a reduction of the kinds of mental and physical damage that normally occur under such circumstances (published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences). Exposure to stress while growing up can lead to long-term adverse health effects such as memory
A possible stem cell treatment for TBI patients demonstrated positive results in a recent phase 2 trial. The trial included 61 patients with stable chronic motor deficits caused by TBI: 46 were treated with the investigational stem cell product, SB623, and 15 underwent sham surgery as a control group. The SB623 cells were implanted directly around
Youth with a concussion history and greater sport experience may have more skill-related motor “reserve” to lessen the impact of concussions, according to a study published in the European Journal of Sport Science. The researchers found that individuals with concussion history and higher amounts of sport experience (seven to 12 years) reached a performance level matching
CBD, a non-psychoactive compound in cannabis, may be used as a “Trojan horse”: helping slip medications across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and into brains, researchers report in the journal Molecular Pharmaceutics. Researchers attached CBD to the outside surfaces of lipid nanocapsules. Instead of loading the nanocapsules with a medication, the researchers packaged them with a fluorescent molecule
The potential beneficial effects of CBD on cognition in patients with schizophrenia have critical importance, since cognitive deficits are common in schizophrenia (up to 75%-85% of patients), usually precede other symptoms, and respond minimally to the available pharmacological treatments. In 2012, Leweke and colleagues published the first double blind randomized controlled clinical trial on the therapeutic effects
Researchers may be closing in on a way to check athletes while they’re alive for signs of a degenerative brain disease that’s been linked to frequent head blows, as published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Experimental scans found higher levels of an abnormal protein tied to the disease in a study of former NFL
Researchers examined recovery from postconcussion syndrome (PCS) in a series of 285 patients diagnosed with concussion based on international sport concussion criteria who received a questionnaire regarding recovery. Of 141 respondents, those with postconcussion symptoms lasting less than 3 months, a positive computed tomography (CT) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), litigants, and known Test of
Contrary to traditional recommendations for prolonged, prescribed rest after a sports-related concussion, new research suggests that a regimen of low-level aerobic exercise may speed recovery and reduce symptoms. In a randomized clinical trial, researchers assessed 103 adolescents within 1 week of experiencing a concussion. Those assigned to aerobic exercise recovered after a median of 13 days compared
HBO’s Real Sports is providing evidence that families with money are taking their children out of tackle football because of worries about concussions. These families are also increasingly putting their children in sports such as soccer, lacrosse, hockey and rugby — which also have high rates of concussions. The report misses where these children of wealthier families
Researchers of the study published in FASEB Journal says that the fatty acid may help in muscle repair and body recovery. The study included a sample of 20 healthy young women divided into two groups. One group took a dose of 5-grams of sunflower oil while the other took a dose of omega 3s. The participants
The study found that “certain types of n-3 (from marine oils) were significantly associated with a decreased risk of having asthma or asthma-like symptoms by up to 62 per cent, while high n-6 consumption (from vegetable oils) was associated with an increased risk by up to 67 per cent,” said Andreas Lopata, Professor from the
The results of a study suggest that the risk of a child developing symptoms of ADHD may be modulated by the mother’s diet during pregnancy. The study, published in the Journal of Pediatrics, analysed samples of umbilical cord plasma to quantify the levels of omega-6 and omega-3 that reach the fetus. The statistical analysis showed a
Dietary intake of two fatty acids, omega-3 and omega-6, may have opposite effects on the severity of asthma in children and may also play opposite roles in modifying their response to indoor air pollution, according to new research published online in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Children with higher
Mild TBI-associated blood proteomics have become an emerging focus in the past decade, with the FDA recently approving the use of a blood test to determine the necessity of a computed tomography scan after adult mTBI. We now also know that the blood proteome of children is different from that of adults, and new evidence
Investigators at Virginia Tech have found a link between concussions and epilepsy development via mice models. More specifically, the team found atypical responses from brain cells known as astrocytes, which follow TBIs, may be the cause of epilepsy development. astrocytes can act as ‘double-agents’ after brain injury. On one hand, they form glial scars that help to seal
About one in five people who suffer a mild traumatic brain injury(mTBI) will develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or major depressive disorder (MDD) within 3 to 6 months, new research suggests. The study was published online January 30 in JAMA Psychiatry. The researchers studied 1155 adults (65% men, mean age 40.5) seen in the emergency department for mTBI (Glasgow Coma Scale scores, 13–15)
A simple blood test can find signs of brain damage in people who are on the path to getting Alzheimer’s disease—even before they show signs of confusion and memory loss, according to a new study. The findings, published in Nature Medicine, may quickly and inexpensively identify brain damage in people with not just Alzheimer’s disease but other neurodegenerative conditions such
The NFL says the number of concussions in games and practices dropped 23.8 percent in 2018. According to figures the league released Thursday, there were a combined 214 recorded concussions in 2018 during the preseason and regular season, compared to a record-high 281 in 2017. The NFL’s concussion reduction strategy, developed in conjunction with the NFL Players
To achieve a desirable Omega-3 Index of 8%, Americans would need a combination of 4-5 fish servings per week plus an EPA+DHA supplement, says a new study. Data from two cross-sectional studies comparing EPA plus DHA and fish intakes with the Omega-3 Index found that, to achieve an Omega-3 Index of 8% (8-12% is considered
