View clinical trials related to Brain Injuries.
Filter by:Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) damages the connections between brain cells. This can lead to problems like memory loss. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can help improve connections between brain areas in healthy people. Researchers want to see if it can be useful in patients with memory problems after TBI. Objective: To see how repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation can be used to improve the connections between parts of the brain and whether this will lead to changes in memory. Eligibility: Adults 18-50 years old with TBI who can speak and write in English. Healthy volunteers the same age and English ability. Design: Participants will be screened with a neurological exam and may have a urine pregnancy test. Participants with TBI will have 7-15 visits. Healthy volunteers will have 2-8 visits. At the visits, participants will have all or some of the following: - MRI for about 1 hour. Participants will lie in a machine that takes pictures in a magnetic field. Participants will do some memory tasks. - Memory and attention tasks with pictures and with a computer - Questions about their mental state and well-being - TMS: A wire coil is held on the scalp and a short electrical current passes through it. Participants will hear a click and feel a pulling or twitch. They may be asked to make simple movements. rTMS is repeated magnetic pulses in short bursts. They will have this for about 20 minutes. A week after the last visit, some participants will return for a memory test.
The main aim of the NASPP study is to assess the efficacy and safety of the prehospital diagnosis of stroke using the Norwegian stroke ambulance concept. NASPP aims to demonstrate that anesthesiologists trained in pre-hospital critical care may perform acute stroke diagnostics by clinical assessment and CT scan interpretation and integrating these skills in the already existing organizational frame of the Norwegian prehospital EMS system. NASPP will systematically explore the Norwegian model of prehospital acute stroke diagnostics prior to the implementation of prehospital thrombolytic stroke treatment. NASSP will equip a regular ambulance staffed with a specially trained anesthesiologist and a specialized nurse. NASPP will perform the clinical part of the study in close co-operation with Østfold Hospital, Fredrikstad.
Background: Sleep disorders, including sleep apnea, are common after traumatic brain injury and affect recovery and negatively influence participation in rehabilitation. Sleep apnea is a breathing problem while persons sleep and causes further brain damage and problems with thinking, daily functioning, and overall health. Earlier diagnosis and treatment is important for traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivors to maximize the recovery process. There is little information that guides TBI doctors on how to identify sleep apnea during inpatient TBI rehabilitation, a phase in which people experience the potential for a rapid pace of improvement. The Agency for Healthcare Research has highlighted gaps in best methods for identifying sleep apnea and separately in helping consumers with TBI rehabilitation choices. Partnering with survivors, caregivers, and administrators, investigators developed this study to compare sleep apnea screening and diagnostic tools in TBI rehabilitation settings. This information will provide clinicians, providers, and patients with the best information for early identification of sleep apnea to remove negative influence on the pace of recovery in early phases after TBI. The Goal: Investigators will compare existing screening (Aim 1) and diagnostic tools (Aim 2) in TBI patients undergoing inpatient rehabilitation. For the second aim, investigators will determine if a more accessible diagnostic test is sufficient to diagnose sleep apnea compared to the traditional method used which is less accessible to consumers. If the more accessible test is good enough, this will increase recognition of this problem and increase patient access to earlier sleep apnea treatment. Stakeholders and Products. TBI survivors, caregivers, researchers, and policymakers working together on this study helped develop the study questions. Idea exchanges included ways to reach clinicians and TBI survivors/caregivers via existing educational programming and online tools for consumers such as fact sheets and patient/caregiver-focused videos. Other traditional methods will include targeting professional magazines, conferences, and research journals that reach professionals working with TBI survivors and their families at the time of admission to rehabilitation and during the recovery process. This study will occur at rehabilitation hospitals around the country who enroll TBI survivors into a lifetime study called the TBI Model System funded by the Department of Health and Human Services and Veterans Affairs (VA).
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) refers to neuronal damage occurring as the result of an external force being applied to brain tissue. In the United Kingdom annual figures (2013-2014) show 449,000 hospital admittances with a diagnosis of head injury with males up to five times more likely to sustain a head injury than females. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) causes life-long disability, with no significant reduction in life expectancy, affecting a diverse range of cognitive and social functions including memory, task planning and execution, impulse control, social interactions, personality changes and depression. Following traumatic brain injury acquired deficits can lead to problems with resumption of aspects of daily life, particularly in terms of returning to work and interpersonal relationships. The initial injury triggers a secondary cascade of metabolic, neurochemical and cellular changes within the brain, primarily aimed at limiting damage and stimulating repair. Paradoxically prolonged secondary cascade mechanisms, including haemorrhage, oedema, neuroinflammation and axonal injury, results in exacerbation of deficits observed. The heterogeneous on-going nature of the secondary cascade presents clinicians with opportunities to intervene in an attempt to limit neuronal damage. A large body of nutritional research has been focused on addressing the hypermetabolic and catabolic states created by secondary cascade processes in the acute stage. Addressing these demands has played a significant role in reducing mortality and infection rates following head injury, however there has not been the same depth of research investigating the post-acute period (once individuals are discharged from hospital).
The PreTBI II study aims to investigate the diagnostic potential of prehospital S100B and GFAP measurements in prediction of need for neurosurgical observation and/or intervention in moderate TBI patients, to rule-in high-risk patients. Ultimately to select patients who will benefit from neuro surgical expertise in specialized departments and thereby possibly better patient outcome. Hopefully also minimize treatment delay, secure optimal resource consumption and streamline patient courses by predicting the presence of neurotrauma. Hypotheses: 1. A prehospital serum S100B level > 0,10 microgram/L and expectedly above a certain and currently unknown cut-off value indicates the need for neurosurgical observation and/or intervention in moderate TBI patients. 2. A prehospital serum GFAP level above a certain and currently unknown cut-off value can significantly predict a need for urgent neurosurgical observation and/or intervention in moderate TBI patients. 3. Biomarker dynamics between prehospital and in-hospital biomarker values of S100B and GFAP can significantly predict a need for urgent neurosurgical observation and/or intervention. 4. Biomarker dynamics between prehospital and in-hospital biomarker values of S100B and GFAP can significantly predict hospital course and outcome of patients with moderate TBI.
To monitor changes in indicators of red cell damage such as extracellular hemoglobin, potassium (K-ABL), and lactate dehydrogenase (LD) post blast exposure.
This study utilizes multimodal brain imaging to obtain quantitative biomarkers of brain injury and to improve understanding of the biological basis of brain pathology in adolescents with concussion. Adolescents with a concussion will undergo neuroimaging and neuropsychology assessments acutely and four months after injury.
The purpose of this study is to assess the effects on upper limb spasticity of soft splints worn during three weeks three hours a day by patients with stroke or disorders of consciousness.
This long-term goal of this project was to advance best practices in occupational therapy in conjunction with yoga. To address the long-term goal, this research team developed a pilot yoga intervention. The intervention was designed to focus on balance, balance confidence, body responsiveness, pain, physical ability and quality of life. Assessments were then chosen to address these areas pre and post yoga intervention. A manual and protocol were developed for the intervention and then the intervention was implemented with a group of individuals with chronic traumatic brain injury.
The primary objective of this study is to determine the efficacy of a single intravenous infusion of unrelated donor umbilical cord blood (UCB) for improving functional outcomes in patients with ischemic stroke. Eligible subjects will receive an intravenous infusion of UCB or placebo 3-10 days following stroke. Subjects will not receive immunosuppressive or myeloablative medications prior to the infusion. Subjects will be followed for one year post infusion for safety and efficacy. Assessments will examine safety and tolerability of the infusion, change in neurological symptoms, change in quality of life, and emotional and cognitive status. Assessments will occur at 24 hours post infusion, and at 30, 90, 180 and 365 days post infusion.