Traumatic Brain Injury Research
Traumatic brain injury as a very debilitating condition has been the subject to research and studies for many decades.
One controversial case in the history happened in 1848 to a railroad construction worker named, Phineas Gage. In an explosion, a steel rod penetrated his head straight to the entire length showing a very scary section of the object bisecting through the skull from the top of the head to the temple.
The strange incident is almost hopeless for recovery, which paradoxically turned the other way around. Dr. John Harlow attended his treatment for more than 70 days, and has managed to maintain a patient's miraculous survival after a very unsightly head injury. The after effect of his head injury caused permanent behavioral change.
During those times, traumatic brain injuries have no definite research conclusions from where physicians can derive analysis. The dramatic event had given different perspective to further research and possibilities. It paved way to deeper understanding on the psychological effect traumatic brain injury can do to a person's behavioral traits.
RESEARCH STUDIES OF NINDS (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke):
The sole purpose of the team is to device ways to prevent secondary damages to the nerve cells after subsequent effects of traumatic brain injury. They simulate to study cell behavior and see its effect when strategic medications had been applied for a sought-after result. The studies are all very technical and on microscopic approach. Each nerves and cells have been studied in close detail like observing how toxins are released in the small projections of the nerves after swelling takes place inside the brain. They were able to see how undamaged cells have been harmed in chain reactions by the release of toxins.
NINDS concluded that the excessive release of calcium inside the nerve cells is the major culprit of protein breakdown. The process triggers other release of enzymes that are harmful to the cells causing fast decline of the brain functioning.
To make a productive conclusion of the study, NINDS device means to create chemicals, which will counteract the calcium release. It is the calcium that hastens the death of nerve cells. It is therefore the main concern to neutralize the chemical with another. The chemical used is cyclosporin.
During critical healing process, the risk of other toxins, being released, are unavoidable to occur especially if the patient has been triggered by emotional disturbance.
As soon as the attempts to combat brain depreciation with chemicals, the brain is also doing its own self-healing by reconstructing the fibers. This will likely happen in a mild to moderate brain injury, but least applicable to severe head injury.
CURRENT RESEARCHES:
Like the way the late Christopher Reeves had funded and sought the aid of the government to help spinal injury patients find the hope of cure, researches for traumatic brain injury, which is close to its severity, has been done and updated always.
Based on studies, selected choices of cocoas can help dementia patients in improving circulation to prevent further deterioration of the brain. Hormones, particularly progestin, can help prevent death of brain cells.
Patient symptoms and "after-feel" are also researched to be the determinants of future status of the patient's traumatic brain injury. Those who have more painful symptoms will have the higher incidence of brain dysfunction in the future. All of these points to one conclusion - that traumatic brain injury research is very important.
Head Injury Tip #1
Any injury to the head should be taken very seriously. Otherwise, the injured person could suffer from paralysis or even death if necessary medical treatment is not administered immediately. Without conducting some tests, like x-ray and/or CT scan, the injured or the doctor will not know the extent of the injury.
Head Injury Tip #2
Observe the injured person constantly for additional symptoms that may develop. Document these changes meticulously to help the patient's physician in diagnosing the extent of the brain injury, since onset of symptoms may occur days, weeks or months after the initial injury.
Head Injury Tip #3
Get as much details as soon as possible about the incident that caused the traumatic brain injury. Whatever the cause of the injury - car accident, work-related, working around the house, etc., it will be important to have all the details documented in case the cause of the injury ends up in court.