View clinical trials related to Brain Concussion.
Filter by:To test the safety and feasibility of a new treatment for adolescents who are slow to recover from a sport-related concussion, the investigators are conducting a randomised controlled trial comparing treatment as usual with an active rehabilitation program that involves sub-symptom threshold cardiac exertion, sport-specific coordination activities, and positive visualisation techniques.
The broad aim of the proposed study is to evaluate the comprehensive benefit of a novel mind-body therapeutic intervention, Mind-Body Bridging (MBB), in Veterans who suffer from mTBI and sleep disturbance co-morbid with PTSD and/or pain at the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System (VASLCHCS). Evidence for comprehensive benefit includes, but is not limited to, the average difference in outcomes between MBB and an active control, sleep education (SED), both integrated with the usual care for mTBI Veterans. The long-term goal of the proposed project is to introduce, implement and establish mind-body intervention programs as a behavioral health intervention modality that would serve as a generally sustainable health care intervention program before, during, and after deployment for military personnel.
The objective of the study is to implement and measure the efficiency of a standardized acute and brief non-pharmacological intervention (Cognitive interventions on Sleep - Anxiety - Attention - Memory) following mild TBI and observe their impact pre- and post-treatments. The ultimate goal is to have patients be re-integrated to their activities faster with lesser symptoms and have patients present lesser post-concussive symptoms. Specific objectives: 1) Measure the effect of an acute and brief non-pharmacological intervention on PCS symptoms, sleep, headaches, affect, cognition and functional outcome following mild TBI; 2)To redefine a model of outcome prediction following mild TBI.
The purpose of the research study is to collect information about brain function and structure among active duty military personnel or civilians who are healthy. Researchers want to develop a database from normal volunteers that will be used in comparison with a similar database from active duty military with post-concussive syndrome (PCS) from a mild traumatic brain injury. Findings from this study may be used to design larger studies that will evaluate whether hyperbaric oxygen treatments actually improve PCS. Participants in this study will undergo numerous tests to assess physical, mental, and intellectual health and how they might change over time. Participants will wear heart and activity monitors, undergo brain imaging, provide blood and urine for laboratory testing, and have vision, hearing, balance, and muscle function tests. They will also complete a number of questionnaires and interviews. This battery of tests will be repeated twice more over the course of 6 months.
To measure Axonal Injury in children with mild traumatic brain injury enrolled in an Emergency Department using Diffusion Tensor Imaging, a type of MRI and biomarkers.
One of the most pressing concerns within the VA currently is the provision of interventions that address the cognitive as well as emotional problems faced by Veterans with concurrent mild TBI and PTSD. One purpose of this study is to learn more about how PTSD and mild brain injury influences how people think, act, and feel. This may include how people pay attention, keep information in memory, organize plans for achieving important goals, and manage stress. Another purpose of this research is to learn more about the effects of cognitive training on the thinking, behavior, and emotions of individuals with PTSD and mild brain injury - both in the short- and long-term. With this research, the investigators hope to better understand and treat cognitive and emotional difficulties that can occur due to PTSD and mild brain injury.
In recent years, media attention has focused on the long-term sequelae of repeated concussive episodes in professional athletes. The growing understanding of the damage done by what was once considered a "ding" during a game or match, and the neurologic consequences of "playing through" or returning to play too soon has led to additional interest in and concern for pediatric athletes (18 or under) who experience sports-related concussions during game or practice play. Because it has only been in recent years that the full scope of damage done by repeated concussive episodes has come to light, very little research has been done on treatment of concussion in either adults or children. Brain injuries in children can be especially problematic, as the brain may continue to develop until the child reaches the age of 24 or older, so concussion during this time of development may be particularly damaging. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an omega-3 fatty acid commonly found in both fish oils and algae. DHA is known to improve development of the eyes and brain in young children. It is thought to be an effective anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant, and since it occurs naturally and causes very few harmful side effects, it may be a useful compound in the treatment of pediatric concussion. This is a feasibility trial of DHA for the treatment of sports concussion in a pediatric population. The investigators' primary aim is to determine acceptability of randomization for this compound as well as rate of enrollment given our clinical population. The investigators' secondary aim is to examine preliminary outcomes. The investigators hypothesize that subjects who take 2 g of DHA daily for 3 months will see a shorter time to full recovery and return to play and a shorter time to resolve balance disturbance. These are good, albeit unvalidated, clinical indicators of concussive recovery.
Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a prevalent and costly public health problem with disabling consequences. More than one million civilians with mTBI are treated in US hospitals and emergency departments each year (Faul, et al., 2010). While the exact number is debated, approximately 10-15% of individuals with mTBI will experience prolonged and disabling post-concussive symptoms (Stranjalis, et al., 2008; Ruff and Weyer Jamora, 2009), and 34% will experience a psychiatric illness in the first year after injury (Fann, et al., 2004). In addition, at least 188,270 military service members sustained a TBI from 2000 to mid August 2010, and nearly 77% of these injuries were mild (Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, 2010). Many individuals require treatment for resulting mTBI symptoms. The proposed study builds on preliminary research conducted by the investigators to develop and test the effectiveness of a social work delivered education and reassurance intervention for adults with mTBI (SWIFT-Acute) against usual care. The proposed study will assess acceptability and obtain preliminary effectiveness data for an enhanced social work assessment and intervention for adults with mTBI (SWIFT) discharged from the Emergency Department (ED). SWIFT includes early education, reassurance, coping strategies, resources and a brief alcohol use intervention in the ED plus follow up telephone counseling, needs assessment and case management referral to necessary services. The intervention targets cognitive, physical, psychiatric and functional outcomes; specifically, post-concussive symptoms, depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, alcohol use, community functioning and successful linkage to community resources. It is hypothesized that SWIFT will be acceptable to patients and that participants in the SWIFT group will report superior outcomes on measures of post-concussive symptoms, depression and anxiety, alcohol use and community functioning and will report increased successful linkages to needed resources when compared to the SWIFT-Acute group. The specific aims of the study are: 1. Implement an innovative social work intervention for adults with mTBI (SWIFT). 2. Assess acceptability of SWIFT using qualitative interviews with participants. 3. Assess preliminary effectiveness of SWIFT compared to SWIFT-Acute alone on reduction or prevention of post-concussive symptoms, depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and alcohol use, and on improvement of community functioning and successful linkage to community resources. 80 participants will be randomized to receive SWIFT or SWIFT-Acute. Preliminary intervention effectiveness will be assessed using standard measures of post-concussive symptoms, the primary outcome, depression, anxiety, PTSD, alcohol use, and community functioning. A structured survey will be used to assess linkage to community resources.
There will be 200 participants, who aged 30 years or older with TBI in 1,5,10,15 years ago and GCS=13-15 will be recruited. Another group of 200 participants with the same age and gender and without TBI will be recruited as the controls. All of them will undergo AD8 questionnaire for dementia screening and APOE4 genotyping. Further CASI and CDR will be tested for the confirmation of dementia diagnosis for the individuals with AD8 scaore >/=2. 10 TBI with dementia, 20 TBI without dementia and 10 controls will be selected randomly for AV45 amylid PET study. There will also be 10 participants without traumatic brain injury and interested in this study, aged 55 years or older better.
This study is a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded, therapeutic exploratory clinical trial of branched chain amino acids (BCAA's) in the treatment of concussion. The aim of the study is to determine whether, compared to placebo treatment, administration of BCAA's, at one or more doses, after a concussion improves neurocognitive recovery at one or more time-periods post concussion.