View clinical trials related to Brain Injuries.
Filter by:This study seeks to determine if telephone counseling improves the outcome for persons with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).
This study will use MRI imaging, cognitive testing and outcome questionnaires to determine how the brain recovers and reorganizes after an injury.
This study will test a method of measuring brain blood flow called near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). It will determine whether NIRS gives the same results as the more commonly used technique, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Healthy normal volunteers between 18 and 60 years of age may be eligible for this study. Participants come to the NIH up to six times for experiments using NIRS and fMRI. They do the following tasks while they are undergoing NIRS or fMRI: - looking at a computer monitor while a checkerboard pattern changes - wiggling the toes and moving the fingers - Reading words on a computer screen and pushing one button if they are plants and another if they are animals. For NIRS, a frame is placed on the head and held it in place with a metal band. The frame holds sensors that contact the scalp. For fMRI, the subject lies on a table that can slide in and out of an MRI scanner, a metal cylinder surrounded by a strong magnetic field. fMRI uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to obtain images of the brain while the subject performs tasks. During the procedure, The subject wears earplugs to muffle the sound of loud knocking noises that occur during scanning.
The purpose of the study is to evaluate the state of bone health of brain injury patients being seen within a rehabilitation setting. Osteopenia is a condition of bone in which decreased calcification, decreased density, or reduced mass occurs. Osteoporosis is a disease in which the bones become extremely porous, are subject to fracture, and heal slowly. More specifically, the prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis at specific anatomic locations (e.g., forearms, hips, spine) will be determined as will specific interventions (e.g., use of vitamins, nutritional supplements, specific prescription medications) that people with brain injury may be applying, or have applied, to manage their bone health. An attempt will also be made to evaluate severity of brain injury, based on loss of muscle strength/function, and to compare this data with bone-focused information such as bone mineral density (BMD), falls, and history.
FES is a form of treatment with a device to aid movement in people who have had damage to their brain or spinal cord. Small electrical impulses are used to excite/stimulate the nerves that supply paralyzed muscles. This activates those muscles, enabling them to produce basic but useful movement. Self-adhesive patches (electrodes) are placed on the skin close to the nerve that supplies the muscle and are connected by wires to a stimulator that produces the impulses. In this way, FES is used to correct the muscle weakness that is caused by injury to the brain or spinal cord. Repetitive task practice is an "activity-based" therapy program that has been shown to enhance the recovery of hand and arm functions after stroke. This therapy consists of a set of training activities that are designed by a qualified therapist specific to your functional abilities that are to be performed with the impaired hand. These activities are designed to stimulate functional improvement with repetitive practice. Spasticity is a nervous system disorder where certain muscles are continuously contracted. Botox injections are commonly used to help to reduce spasticity in areas of the body with increased muscle tone. This research is designed to look at any additional benefit that may occur when Botox injections are combined with specific occupational therapy exercises and with a device that uses functional electrical stimulation (FES) to help improve muscle function after stroke.
The purpose of this study is to determine whether memantine (Namenda) improves memory and attention in patients with mild to moderate traumatic brain injury.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant public health problem, with 1.5-2.0 million Americans injured each year. Cognitive deficits, particularly in the domains of memory and attention are frequently the source of lingering disability after TBI and a source of enormous distress to the injured individuals and their family/caregivers. To date, interventions to ameliorate chronic cognitive deficits have been directed at either pharmacological interventions or cognitive rehabilitation. We propose to (1) To compare the efficacy of three interventions: memory and attention training (MAAT), methylphenidate, and memory/attention training in combination with methylphenidate and (2) use functional MRI (fMRI) to characterize changes in activation of the neural circuitry of memory and attention due to MAAT alone, methylphenidate alone, and MAAT in combination with methylphenidate. This is a two by two design with medication (methylphenidate/placebo) and cognitive therapy (Memory and Attention Training (MAAT) or an Attention control intervention) as possible interventions. Using a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind design, 200 individuals with persistent cognitive deficits 6-12 months after MTBI will be randomized to receive a six week trial of either (1) MAAT and placebo, (2) MAAT and methylphenidate (0.3 mg/kg BID), (3) attention control intervention and methylphenidate (0.3 mg/kg BID), or (4) attention control intervention and placebo. Symptom distress, attention and memory performance, and activation patterns of the neural circuitry of attention and memory while undergoing fMRI will be characterized at baseline, and after the four treatment conditions. This study will provide important information on three interventions for the most disabling sequelae of an enormous public health problem. Further, it will help to clarify underlying neural mechanisms and suggest additional treatment possibilities.
Introduction and Aims: The objective of this prospective study is to evaluate the risk factors of minor head injury in all consecutive patients of one year.
Objectives: Ketamine is an effective, short-acting anesthetic drug, which does not decrease blood pressure. It is widely stated that Ketamine increases intracranial pressure (ICP), which prevents its use in many emergency situations, specifically in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and with increased ICP. Based on previous clinical experience, we hypothesized that Ketamine decreases – rather than increases – ICP. Methods: Prospective, controlled, clinical trial. Children with ICP monitoring will receive a single Ketamine dose (1-1.5 mg/kg) either for increased ICP and/or before a potentially distressing activity. Hemodynamic variables, ICP and cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) will be recorded 1 minute before and every minute for 10 minutes following Ketamine administration (Before/after design).
The purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence and predictors of pituitary dysfunction, as well as secondary out-come in patients with traumatic brain injury or spontaneous subarachnoidal haemorrhages.