Articles: traumatic-brain-injuries.
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Minimally conscious state (MCS) is a disorder of consciousness in which minimal but definite behavioral evidence of self-awareness or environmental awareness is demonstrated. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of various targets has been used to promote recovery in patients with disorders of consciousness with varying results. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the effects of DBS in MCS following traumatic brain injury (TBI). ⋯ Current evidence is based on a small population of heterogeneous patients. The time from injury to stimulation was significantly variable and problematic, as spontaneous recovery can occur within the first year of injury. Although seven patients showed promising results in validated outcome measures, evidence supporting the use of DBS in MCS patients following TBI is lacking. There is need for controlled and randomized studies.
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J Neurosurg Pediatr · Jun 2019
ReviewClinical trials for pediatric traumatic brain injury: definition of insanity?
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children both in the United States and throughout the world. Despite valiant efforts and multiple clinical trials completed over the last few decades, there are no high-level recommendations for pediatric TBI available in current guidelines. In this review, the authors explore key findings from the major pediatric clinical trials in children with TBI that have shaped present-day recommendations and the insights gained from them. The authors also offer a perspective on potential efforts to improve the efficacy of future clinical trials in children following TBI.
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Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is caused by a head impact with a force exceeding regular exposure from normal body movement which the brain normally can accommodate. People affected include, but are not restricted to, sport athletes in American football, ice hockey, boxing as well as military personnel. Both single and repetitive exposures may affect the brain acutely and can lead to chronic neurodegenerative changes including chronic traumatic encephalopathy associated with the development of dementia. ⋯ Even though the human brain gross anatomy is different from rodents implicating different energy transfer upon impact, especially rotational forces, animal models of TBI are important tools to investigate the changes that occur upon TBI at molecular and cellular levels. Importantly, such models may help to increase the knowledge of how the pathologies develop, including the spreading of tau pathologies, and how to diagnose the severity of the TBI in the clinic. In addition, animal models are helpful in the development of novel biomarkers and can also be used to test potential disease-modifying compounds in a preclinical setting.
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Journal of neurotrauma · May 2019
Autonomic Dysfunction and Associations with Functional and Neurophysiological Outcome in Moderate/Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: A Scoping Review.
The quantification and objective documentation of autonomic dysfunction in traumatic brain injury (TBI) is neither well studied nor extensively validated. Most of the descriptions of autonomic dysfunction in the literature are in the form of vague non-specific clinical manifestations. Few studies propose the use of objective measures of assessing the extent of autonomic dysfunction to link them to the outcome of TBI. ⋯ A total of 2714 adult patients were studied. Although the nature of association between autonomic dysfunction and outcome is unclear, the objective quantification of autonomic dysfunction seems to be associated with global patient outcome and other neurophysiological measures. Further studies are needed to validate its use and explore the underlying molecular mechanisms of the described associations.
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The aim of the present review was to describe the evolution of the damage control concept in neurotrauma, including the surgical technique and medical postoperative care, from the lessons learned from civilian and military neurosurgeons who have applied the concept regularly in practice at military hospitals and civilian institutions in areas with limited resources. ⋯ Damage control in neurotrauma is a therapeutic option for severe traumatic brain injury management in austere environments. To apply the concept while using an appropriate approach, lessons must be learned from experienced neurosurgeons who use this technique regularly.