View clinical trials related to Brain Injuries.
Filter by:This is a research study to develop a noninvasive test using ultrasound to determine when urgent, life-saving treatment is needed for those with severe traumatic brain injuries.
Studies in patients with disorders of consciousness (DOC) after severe brain injury implicate dysfunction of the anterior forebrain mesocircuit dysfunction a key underlying mechanism. The anterior forebrain metabolism in DOC is markedly downregulated across brain regions underpinning highly elaborated cognitive behaviors demonstrating a collapse of the level of synaptic background activity required for consistent goal-directed behavior and arousal regulation. Since dopamine levels are one of the primary controllers of the level of synaptic background activity within these forebrain structures and in regulating excitatory glutamatergic homeostasis, the investigators propose to investigate the specific contribution of presynaptic dopamine function in glutamatergic neurotransmission in posttraumatic DOC. The aim of the present study is to measure metabotropic glutamate receptors 5 occupancy in the main gutamatergic structures of the brain using (3-[18F]fluoro-5-(2-pyridinylethynyl)benzonitrile)-positron emission tomography ( [18F]FPEB-PET) at rest and following a short pharmacological challenge with amantadine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDA-R) antagonist, following L-DOPA, and amantadine + L-DOPA. Using this novel technique in DOC the investigators will characterize the relevance of a presynaptic deficiency to synthesize and/or release dopamine in the final regulation of excitatory interneurons of the anterior forebrain mesocircuit. It is unknown whether glutamatergic neurotransmission is affected across the population of subjects with DOC and, if this condition is secondary to a presynaptic dopaminergic failure of the anterior forebrain mesocircuit (i.e., down-regulation). Since the investigators previously identified the existence of a presynaptic dopaminergic deficit in these subjects due to a failure in the biosynthesis of dopamine, the investigators will evaluate if by providing the main biological substrate of the biosynthesis process (i.e., L-DOPA) the glutamatergic system regains homeostasis. The investigators therefore propose to investigate patients with posttraumatic DOC using [18F]FPEB-PET at rest and following short pharmacological challenges aimed at increasing glutamate and dopamine release.
Clinical pilot study to evaluate a new multi-parameter neuromonitoring device that allows the measurement of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), intracranial pressure (ICP), brain temperature monitoring and ventricular cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage in brain-injured patients.
Invasive intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring is highly effective, but involves risks. HS-1000 measures ICP non-invasively by assessing the acoustic properties of the patient's head. HS-1000 device, a proprietary non-invasive ICP monitor, is expected to safely and accurately monitor ICP with minimal discomfort to patients, and provide information about normal or elevated ICP levels to the physicians.
This is a prospective pilot study evaluating the safety and feasibility of implementing the ketogenic diet in children admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit with acute brain injury such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, and intracerebral hemorrhage. Animal studies suggest that in the aftermath of injury the brain's ability to use glucose as a fuel is impaired. The ketogenic diet is a high fat, low carbohydrate diet which is already used in clinical practice for the treatment of medication resistant epilepsy and is intended to switch the body over to burning fat rather than carbohydrates for fuel. In lieu of their standard tube-feeds, 5-10 children admitted to the PICU with these diagnoses will receive low carbohydrate, high fat ketogenic feeds for 2 weeks. We hypothesize that ketones will be detectable through serum tests and MRI spectroscopy studies of the brain within several days of diet initiation, and that there will be a low incidence of side effects and adverse events, Measures of interest will include the incidence of kidney stones, excessive acidosis and excessive hypoglycemia. The feasibility of implementing this protocol for a larger efficacy trial will be assessed through serial measurements of blood glucose, beta-hydroxybutyrate (a type of ketone body), and serum bicarbonate levels. In addition, levels of ketone bodies within the brain will be measured through MRI spectroscopy sequence which will be acquired at the same time as a follow-up MRI brain study ordered for clinical purposes.
The Aim of the Study is to Measure the Effect of Finnish Physician-staffed EMS Unit Treatment Methods on Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Patient Prognosis. Physician-staffed HEMS unit was implemented to the EMS 2011. The aim of this study is to compare the results against a historical database to see if the implementation of a HEMS unit will improve the prognosis of TBI patients.
The purpose of this study is to test the drug apomorphine in subjects who are in a Vegetative State or a Minimally Conscious State.