View clinical trials related to Brain Injuries.
Filter by:Background: - Many service members have reported feeling tired, a loss of motivation, mood changes, and problems working with others after they have a concussion during deployment. These problems may lead to problems with their job and relationships. This study hopes to figure out what parts of the brain may be affected in people with these problems after a concussion. Objectives: - To learn more about the problems that may occur after service members have a concussion during deployment and return home. Eligibility: - Service members or veterans between 18 and 40 years of age who have had a mild traumatic brain injury (concussion) in the past 6 months. - Companions (at least 18 years of age) of the service members will also be included in this study. Companions will have interacted with the service member at least 1 hour a week since deployment. Design: - Service members will have 1 week of tests at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center. Companions will have 2 days of tests at the Center. - Each day, service members will have 4 or 8 hours of tests. Tests will include a medical history and physical exam, neuropsychological tests and imaging studies. The tests will ask about fatigue, stress, mood, pain, daily activities, and family support. The imaging studies will measure brain function at rest and during activity. - Companions will have a medical history and physical exam. They will also complete several questionnaires about themselves as well as the service member/veteran. The tests will ask about fatigue, stress, mood, pain, daily activities, and family support....
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability in young people. It has been called the "signature wound" of the Iraq war because of its frequency among troops. TBI is associated with many chronic disabilities. Physical alterations include reduced exercise tolerance and profound muscle weakness, whereas psychological alterations include diminished sense of well-being, depression, fatigue and anxiety. Muscle and brain tissues rely upon circulating blood amino acids as precursors for metabolic functions. The investigators have shown that even one year after injury, plasma valine, an essential amino acid (EAA), was markedly reduced in patients with TBI compared to healthy controls. The investigators speculate that low plasma valine concentration contributes to chronic fatigue after TBI, since valine and tryptophan compete for the same transporter into the brain, and a low plasma valine concentration will allow more tryptophan to be transported. As a consequence, increased brain tryptophan will increase serotonin production, which may significantly contribute to the development of fatigue. Thus, the investigators will test if restoring valine concentration in persons with TBI may reduce fatigue perception and improve physical and neuropsychological function. Further, the investigators have previously shown that EAA intake has an anabolic effect in healthy young and elderly individuals. However, no data are currently available in persons recovering from TBI. Thus,the investigators will also test if EAA and/or valine can improve muscle mass in patients with TBI.
This study will evaluate the feasibility of using fully implanted microstimulators to rehabilitate arm function in patients who have suffered a traumatic brain injury.
Purpose of this study is to determine the efficiency and safety of a Sensory Enrichment Multimodal Device (SEMD) when applied in conjunction with usual care vestibular-balance physical therapy for rehabilitation of patients who fall as a result of vestibular inducted disequilibrium. Study participants will receive regular physical therapy, and some will use the SEMD device while receiving usual care vestibular-balance physical therapy. The device is an elastic belt that holds eight small battery powered vibrating disks. When using the device, you will sit or stand on a force platform that measures body sway. That movement information is sent to a computer which then sends the information to you via the vibrating disks. The vibrating disks are similar to a vibrating cell phone: you can feel the vibration but it is not uncomfortable. You can also see your sway movement on the computer screen. Some tests and activities will be paced with a beeping sound. The aim of this study is six-fold: 1. Demonstrate the relative efficiency between SEMD and conventional vestibular-balance physical therapy as reported by treating physical therapists' by counting number of skills acquired in a treatment session, and the amount of time needed to acquire the skill; 2. Demonstrate greater improvement earlier on in balance test scores when using the SEMD as an adjunct to conventional vestibular-balance physical therapy; 3. Determine the difference in vestibular habituation between physical therapy plus SEMD and conventional vestibular-balance physical therapy; 4. Demonstrate a more immediate reduction in fall occurrence when using SEMD as an adjunct to conventional vestibular-balance physical therapy; 5. Determine the patient's perception of quality of life between physical therapy plus SEMD and conventional vestibular-balance physical therapy; 6. Determine difference in acquisition of large movement tasks of tandem walk, step quick-turn, and kneel-shoulder rifle-return to stand between subjects that have trained with SEMD and conventional vestibular-balance physical therapy . In addition to primary and secondary outcome measurements, efficiency of skill acquisition, devised for this study, will be evaluated by tracking the number of skills and length of time needed to acquire each skill for each physical therapy session using the Patient Skill Acquisition Chart (PSAC). Usefulness of Tandem Walk, Step Quick-turn, and Kneel- Shoulder Rifle-Return to Stand as intervention outcome, also devised for this study, will be evaluated with pre test to post tests Modified Functional Independence Measure - Motor (MFIM-Motor). These measurements were devised for this study, and will be evaluated for informational purposes only.
The purpose of this study is to study the biomarkers in subjects before and after sports-induced traumatic brain injury. The assay will be studied in a sample population of subjects over the age of 18 participating in college sports.
Anti-aggregation therapy, including treatment with low-dose aspirin (LDA) is an established risk factor for intracranial hemorrhage, including chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH); however evidence guiding the decision to continue or discontinue LDA in patients who have sustained mild head trauma with no sign of injury on CT is lacking. The investigators aim to assess whether continued aspirin treatment increases the risk of CSDH in mild head trauma patients 50 years and older who present with negative head CT. The investigators further aim to use the initial findings to refine the study design, with the goal of performing a larger, multi-institutional study in the future. Over a 12-month period, approximately 100 patients ≥50 years of age on LDA prophylaxis presenting to Hadassah's Emergency Department after sustaining mild head injury, will be examined by the neurosurgeon on call. Those who have no sign of intracranial hemorrhage at clinical or CT examination, and who meet inclusion / exclusion criteria, will be invited to participate in a randomized study. Informed consent will be obtained. Patients will be remotely randomized for continuation or cessation of LDA treatment. Follow-up CT and clinical examination will be performed 3-5 weeks after trauma. The two-proportions test will be used to assess whether there is a statistically significant difference in the rate of CSDH in patients randomized to cessation of LDA therapy and those randomized to continuation of LDA. Relationships between the explanatory the dependent variables will be explored with classical parametric and nonparametric statistical methods, including multivariate analysis, logistic regression, the two proportions test, and the independence test. Several measures of association/correlation between pairs of variables will be analyzed as well. The investigators hypothesize that continuation of LDA will not be associated with increased risk for chronic subdural hematoma, and that cessation of treatment will not be associated with a decrease in chronic subdural hematoma. The investigators further hypothesize that cessation of LDA for this period will not be associated with increased risk for clinically significant cerebrovascular, cardiovascular, thrombotic, of embolic event.
It has already been demonstrated that mental imagining of the complex motor act, such as limb lifting, can evoke the activation of the involved motor centres even if it doesn't result in movement due to paresis. Aim of the study: using the navigated brain stimulation system create a new diagnostic model for the differential diagnostics between the vegetative state and the minimally conscious state. If the investigators could get from patient the efferent motor response after a verbal command, his level of conscious should not be defined less than the minimally conscious state.
The aim of this study is to determine the effectiveness of holistic group treatment program (called Group Interactive Structured Treatment, or GIST) to improve social communication skills for individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury. Hypothesis: Compared to an alternative intervention, those receiving the GIST intervention will show improved social competence, improved quality of life, and stronger group cohesion.
The purpose of this study is to assess for vasospasm using Transcranial Doppler (TCD) and brain injury biomarkers, and evaluate neurocognitive outcome data in pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients who have experienced a mild to severe head injury.
Mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the most common type of brain injury. Post-mild TBI disability could stem from cognitive, physical, psychological and social dysfunction which resulted in significant disability and unemployment. Long-term behavioral impairments which affected the individual's occupation, lifestyle, and family frequently occurred in individuals with mild to moderate brain injuries who physically fully recovered. In-vitro and in-vivo studies showed a better recovery of cognitive function after administration of exogenous lactate in traumatic brain injury. Therefore, this study is aimed to evaluate the effect of exogenous lactate infusion contained in hyperosmolar sodium lactate solution on cognitive function assessed by Mini Mental State Examination(MMSE)scale.