It's common for anyone in West Virginia who has sustained a head injury from a car accident, hard fall, or sports collision to be rushed to the hospital for a CT scan. However, about 90 percent of these image tests come back negative, even when patients are diagnosed...
Brain Injury
Lipid biomarker could help doctors diagnose brain injuries
West Virginia doctors may someday be able to use a lipid biomarker to diagnose brain injuries in patients. A new preclinical study shows that a lipid called lysophosphatidic acid, or LPA, sharply increases after the body suffers a traumatic brain injury, or TBI. The...
Increased serum levels after head impacts
A West Virginia resident who has suffered a high-acceleration head impact may have elevated levels of two different types of serums in their body. These serums, tau and ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1, are biomarkers of traumatic brain injuries and may be present...
Study reveals potential role of microglia in TBI cases
A new study conducted by researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine may be of interest to anyone in West Virginia who has suffered a traumatic brain injury or spinal cord injury. Researchers discovered that microglia, which are certain cells that...
Brain molecule may slow the effects of head injuries
If a person in West Virginia experiences a brain injury or disease, scientists may be able to monitor it using a molecule called N-acetylaspartate (NAA). It is generally found in lower concentrations in those who have an injury or illness impacting that part of the...
Mild TBIs linked with higher dementia risk
Anyone in West Virginia who has incurred a traumatic brain injury should be aware of the findings of a new study published in JAMA Neurology. After studying a group of veterans with TBIs, it discovered that those who incur even a minor TBI with no loss of...
Determining the extent of a head injury
Every day, roughly 138 Americans die from a brain injury. They commonly occur after car accidents, hits during sporting events or falls in the tub. Such injuries can also occur as the result of a domestic dispute or because of medical malpractice. Since a brain injury...
Gene could increase risk of post-TBI psychiatric symptoms
West Virginia readers possessing a variant of the APOE gene might experience more severe psychiatric symptoms if they suffer a traumatic brain injury, according to a new report. The study, which was conducted by researchers from the Veterans Affairs San Diego...
Mild brain injuries increase Parkinson’s risk by over 50 percent
West Virginia readers who suffer concussions or other mild traumatic brain injuries could increase their chances of developing Parkinson's disease by over 55 percent, according to a new study. The study was recently published in the journal Neurology.Previous studies...
Mild TBIs can cause lasting damage
Many West Virginians receive mild traumatic brain injuries every year while playing sports, being involved in motor vehicle accidents, falling or suffering other types of trauma to the head. While these injuries may be characterized as being mild, they can cause...