This month, Oxeia Biopharmaceuticals will be launching their Phase 2 trials of their drug treatment for concussion, OXE-103, a synthetic form of the hormone ghrelin. CEO MIchael Wyand discusses the challenges of being the first potential drug for concussion to go through the FDA review process, and more.

A study found that there was no documentation of an mTBI (concussion) evaluation for 50% of the “patients at high risk for mild traumatic brain injury.” Furthermore, of the 36 patients who received an mTBI diagnosis, only 15 received mTBI specific discharge information.

A study found symptoms were worse, and recovery was slower in adolescents (aged 11-19 years) who continued to play after suffering a concussion.

Sarah Gallagher, PT, DPT, NCS is the owner of South Valley Physical Therapy and is a member of the Vestibular Disorders Association, American Physical Therapy Association and Academy of Neurology. In her interview, she explains her center's operations and its role in telehealth.

Dr. Michael Hoffer, an otolaryngologist (ear nose and throat doctor), is working alongside a team of researchers at the University of Miami on a five-year study that will evaluate the efficacy of a new cannabinoid-based pill as a concussion treatment.

Dr. Monica Vavilala is is an anesthesiologist and director of Harborview’s Injury Prevention and Research Center, based in Seattle. In her interview, she describes the Return-to-Learn pilot Program that she and her team have created, which, thanks to a grant from the CDC, they will implement and study at 24 public high schools across Washington State.

Concussion Alliance interview with Dr. Eve Valera, research scientist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Associate Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Valera studies Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and domestic-violence-induced traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) in women.

Two new studies have come out with compelling evidence, further linking hormonal dysfunction with concussions.

An interview with physical therapist Justin J Ho PT, DPT, CSCS, about delivering physical therapy to concussion patients via telehealth.

An interview with physical therapist Joe Mahon about delivering physical therapy to concussion patients via telehealth. Mr. Mahon is offering free telehealth sessions while #shelter-in-place orders are in effect.

A collection of recent newsletter articles about exercise, particularly aerobic exercise, as a form of therapy or treatment for concussions or persistent post-concussion syndrome.

Since the Iranian strike on the U.S. base in Iraq, the reported mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) from the strike have steadily increased, and the number is now up to 109. There is no objective test for mTBI, and diagnosis can be problematic. There is concern that these injuries can lead to long-term symptoms for about 20%, and also could lead to long-term neurodegenerative diseases. Researchers are working on identifying biomarkers to use for diagnosis.

A recent article published by Forbes discusses a study by Zachary Y. Kerr et al. that explored differences in concussion risk for high school athletes based on the sport and gender of the players. Among “sex-comparable” sports, they found that concussion rates, as well as the proportions of recurrent concussions, were higher in girls than in boys.

A study by Todd W. Lyons et al. published in Frontiers of Neurology found racial differences in emergency room visits for children with sports-related head injuries.

Part of Harvard’s Football Players Health Study found an association between concussions suffered while playing in the NFL and low testosterone and erectile dysfunction later in life. Head trauma injuries to the pituitary gland likely cause low testosterone levels, and the authors believe that the results have implications for everyone who has experienced a head injury.

The Journal of Pediatric Psychology recently published a study by Charlotte Gagner et al. that documents how mTBI in early childhood can lead to changes in externalizing behaviors (actions towards others) and internalizing behaviors (attitudes towards the self) overtime.

SuperBetter, an app designed to help people build personal resilience through gameplay, is currently offering their Concussion Power Packs for free. The Power Packs are daily activities that can be played in the app and guide users through their recovery with power-ups, bad guys, and quests. They were developed for a clinical trial examining the impact of using the app.

Melissa Martin, a former cheerleader at the University of California at Berkeley, has filed a lawsuit against the school, her coaches, and USA Cheer, for negligent treatment after being diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome.

A Washington Post article by James Ludden and Eben Novy-Williams discusses the impacts of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) in sports. They also point out inconsistencies in the public’s reaction to CTE risk.

In a study published in Annals of Neurology, authors Jesse Mez et al. examined the brains of deceased athletes for evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and found that the risk of CTE approximately doubled for every 2.6 years spent playing American football.