Articles: traumatic-brain-injuries.
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Journal of neurotrauma · May 2016
Juvenile Traumatic Brain Injury Increases Alcohol Consumption and Reward in Female Mice.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is closely and bi-directionally linked with alcohol use, as by some estimates intoxication is the direct or indirect cause of one-third to one-half of all TBI cases. Alcohol use following injury can reduce the efficacy of rehabilitation and increase the chances for additional injury. Finally, TBI itself may be a risk factor for the development of alcohol use disorders. ⋯ Environmental enrichment administered after injury reduced axonal degeneration and prevented the increase in drinking behavior. Additionally, brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene expression, which was reduced by TBI, was normalized by environmental enrichment. Together, these results suggest a novel model of alterations in reward circuitry following trauma during development.
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Journal of neurotrauma · May 2016
Vagus nerve stimulation delivered with motor training enhances recovery of function after traumatic brain injury.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is one of the largest health problems in the United States, and affects nearly 2 million people every year. The effects of TBI, including weakness and loss of coordination, can be debilitating and last years after the initial injury. Recovery of motor function is often incomplete. ⋯ VNS paired with rehabilitative therapy over a period of 5 weeks significantly increased recovery of both forelimb strength and success rate on the isometric pull task compared with rehabilitative training without VNS. No significant improvement was observed in the Rehab group. Our findings indicate that VNS paired with rehabilitative therapy enhances functional motor recovery after TBI.
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Intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring has become "state of the art" in the management protocol for unconscious or sedated patients with intracranial pathologies; however, all current monitoring systems have significant drawbacks. We analyzed the complications of these monitoring devices as well as the risk factors for those complications. ⋯ EVD is an indispensable device in neurosurgery. Unfortunately, it has a significantly high complication rate, mostly in relation to infections. Therefore, the indication of the device used to monitor ICP must be evaluated carefully. The antimicrobial-impregnated external catheter and silver-coated catheters might decrease the problem of infection.
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Low bone mineral density (BMD) is common in older people with stroke, particularly in the paretic limb. Younger people with acquired brain injury (ABI), of all causes, are at increased risk of low BMD. ⋯ Osteopenia and osteoporosis are common in young adults with ABI compared with the general population. Bone heath monitoring should form part of the long-term follow-up of this patient group.
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To investigate the healing effects of erythropoietin (EPO) and stem cells (SCs) in traumatic brain injury (TBI). ⋯ Separately given, SCs and EPO have a positive effect on TBI, and our findings suggest that their coadministration is even more powerful.