Journal of neurotrauma
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Journal of neurotrauma · Oct 2006
Practice GuidelineGuidelines for the pharmacologic treatment of neurobehavioral sequelae of traumatic brain injury.
There is currently a lack of evidence-based guidelines to guide the pharmacological treatment of neurobehavioral problems that commonly occur after traumatic brain injury (TBI). It was our objective to review the current literature on the pharmacological treatment of neurobehavioral problems after traumatic brain injury in three key areas: aggression, cognitive disorders, and affective disorders/anxiety/ psychosis. Three panels of leading researchers in the field of brain injury were formed to review the current literature on pharmacological treatment for TBI sequelae in the topic areas of affective/anxiety/ psychotic disorders, cognitive disorders, and aggression. ⋯ Options were recommended in the treatment of depression, bipolar disorder/mania, psychosis, aggression, general cognitive functions, and deficits in attention, speed of processing, and memory after TBI. The evidence-based guidelines and options established by this working group may help to guide the pharmacological treatment of the person experiencing neurobehavioral sequelae following TBI. There is a clear need for well-designed randomized controlled trials in the treatment of these common problems after TBI in order to establish definitive treatment standards for this patient population.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Oct 2006
Aspects on decompressive craniectomy in patients with traumatic head injuries.
In patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI), intracranial hypertension secondary to cerebral edema is a major problem. A last-tier treatment in these cases is decompressive craniectomy. The aim of the present retrospective investigation was to (1) study the long-time outcome in patients with traumatic head injuries with intracranial hypertension treated with decompressive craniectomy; (2) examine the effects on intracranial pressure (ICP) by the craniectomy; and (3) investigate the possible relationship between the size of the removed bone-flap and the effects on ICP. ⋯ The outcome of all patients could be assessed. The survival rate was 89%. Two patients died (both day 4 after the trauma); 68% of the patients had a favorable outcome (Glasgow Outcome Scale [GOS] score of 4 or 5); 16% were severely disabled (GOS score of 3); and one patient (5%) was left in a vegetative state.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Oct 2006
Diffusion tensor imaging in the corpus callosum in children after moderate to severe traumatic brain injury.
Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a recent imaging technique that assesses the microstructure of the cerebral white matter (WM) based on anisotropic diffusion (i.e., water molecules move faster in parallel to nerve fibers than perpendicular to them). Fractional anisotropy (FA), which ranges from 0 to 1.0, increases with myelination of WM tracts and is sensitive to diffuse axonal injury (DAI) in adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, previous DTI studies of pediatric TBI were case reports without detailed outcome measures. ⋯ In the TBI patients, higher FA was related to better functional outcome as measured by the dichotomized Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS). FA also increased as a function of the area of specific regions of the corpus callosum such as the genu and splenium, and FA in the splenium was reduced with greater volume of lesions in this region. DTI may be useful in identifying biomarkers related to DAI and outcome of TBI in children.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Oct 2006
Impact of additional extracranial injuries on outcome after mild traumatic brain injury.
Many patients with mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) concurrently sustain extracranial injuries; however, little is known about the impact of these additional injuries on outcome. We assessed the impact of additional injuries on the severity of postconcussional symptoms (PCS) and functional outcome 6 months post-injury. A questionnaire (including the Rivermead Post-Concussion Questionnaire and SF-36) was sent to consecutive MTBI patients (hospital admission Glasgow Coma Score 13-15; age range 18-60 years) admitted to the emergency department of a level-I trauma center, and, to serve as a baseline for PCS, a control group of minor-injury patients (ankle or wrist distortion). ⋯ Regardless of the presence of additional injuries, patients that were still in treatment reported significantly more severe PCS, with highest rates in patients with isolated MTBI. In conclusion, many patients with additional extracranial injuries are still in the process of recovery at 6 months after injury. However, despite more severe impact to the head and inferior functional outcomes, these patients do not report more severe PCS.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Oct 2006
Recovery of function after vagus nerve stimulation initiated 24 hours after fluid percussion brain injury.
Recent evidence from our laboratory demonstrated in laboratory rats that stimulation of the vagus nerve (VNS) initiated 2 h after lateral fluid percussion brain injury (FPI) accelerates the rate of recovery on a variety of behavioral and cognitive tests. VNS animals exhibited a level of performance comparable to that of sham-operated uninjured animals by the end of a 2-week testing period. The effectiveness of VNS was further evaluated in the present study in which initiation of stimulation was delayed until 24 h post-injury. ⋯ On day 14, the FPI-VNS animals did not differ in the latency to find the platform from sham controls, whereas the injured controls did; however, the FPI-VNS animals and injured controls were not significantly different. Despite the lack of significant histological differences between the FPI groups, VNS, when initiated 24 h following injury, clearly attenuated the ensuing behavioral deficits and enhanced acquisition of the cognitive task. The results are discussed with respect to the norepinephrine hypothesis.