Blog
Emotional distress is more closely associated with pessimism about recovery duration than with symptom severity or mental health history
A study found that patients’ expectations of their recovery duration had a larger impact on their mental health than their actual reported symptoms, number of concussions, or history of mental health concerns.
Military dietitians test mTBI patients for nutritional deficiencies, design individualized nutrition plans
Some clinics in the Defense Intrepid Network for TBI and Brain health, a system of 13 clinics for TBIs, have integrated nutrition plans into treatment programs for “active duty service members diagnosed with mild-to-moderate TBI and associated health conditions.”
Researchers find vestibular dysfunction stems from injury to the peripheral vestibular system
In a study published in the Journal of Neurotrauma, researchers aimed to “establish whether vestibular dysfunction … is of central, peripheral, or combined origin.” They found that vestibular dysfunction is associated with peripheral vestibular system injury.
Australian Football League funded study on concussions in former players, then was uncooperative and restrictive, lead researcher claims
A revelatory article from Melissa Davey, Stephanie Convery, and Emma Kemp of The Guardian claims that the AFL (Australian Football League) sabotaged its own concussion research.
Undergraduate medical students in North America are not receiving adequate concussion education, study finds
The scoping review concluded that undergraduate medical students in North America are not receiving adequate concussion education.
Choosing light therapy devices based on concussion research
Suggestions for choosing a light therapy device based on our communication with leading researchers and clinicians in the field and our understanding of current research.
Excellent update to workers’ compensation TBI guidelines in New York
The New York State Workers’ Compensation Board has created new guidelines for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). While some areas could be updated to reflect a more current and nuanced understanding of brain injury, the guidelines include all best-practice treatment modalities and emphasize the case-by-case, highly patient-specific nature of the injury.
Continuing debate about helmets in girls’ lacrosse
The use of helmets in women’s lacrosse continues to be a topic of significant debate, as helmets are not mandatory in women’s lacrosse but are required in men’s lacrosse. A 2015 study found that women’s lacrosse had the second-highest rate of concussions among a variety of high school and college sports.
New research to develop better diagnostic tools for diagnosing mTBI in the elderly
"Adults over the age of 75 have had the highest incidence of traumatic brain injuries" and better diagnostic tools are needed. BrainBox has received a grant to create a clinical solution that accurately captures the diagnosis and prognosis of mTBI in elderly patients.
Sex, race, psychiatric history, intracranial injury associated with increased prevalence of insomnia after a TBI
A study found that female biological sex, Black race, history of psychiatric illness, or intracranial injury were associated with a higher severity level of insomnia symptoms post-TBI.
Children with assault-related concussion have worse outcomes and are less-likely to get proper evaluation than those with sport-related concussion
A study found significant disparities in diagnosis and outcomes between children presenting to a pediatric hospital with assault-related (ARC) and sports-related concussion (SRC).
Tele-rehabilitation feasibility trial finds positive results comparable with in-person rehabilitation studies
A study by Josh Shore et al. found that a novel Tele-Active Rehabilitation (Tele-AR) program improved postconcussion symptoms, illness perception, and occupational performance (self-perception of performance in everyday living) in a small group of adolescents.
Duration of continued athletic participation after sport-related concussion impacts recovery outcomes
A study evaluated the duration of continued participation after a suspected sport-related concussion (SRC) and its impact on recovery outcomes in collegiate athletes. The researchers found that continued participation (within a range of 0-90 minutes) after SRC was associated with worse outcomes.
Concussion education in schools is inconsistent, overly athlete-focused
A study found significant gaps in school-based concussion education in a scoping review, "including a lack of clear guidelines for concussion education content, questionable sustainability of the education delivery and the need for long-term evaluation of outcomes.”
Recommended reading – Impact: Women Writing After Concussion
Impact: Women Writing After Concussion is an anthology containing the stories of 21 women writers reflecting on how their personal and professional lives have changed following experience with concussion.
13.5% of mTBI patients had poor cognitive outcomes; predicting risk, referral to cognitive rehabilitation
According to a study published in Neurology, 13.5% of mTBI patients had “poor cognitive outcomes” (vs. 4.5 % in a control group) one year after a mild traumatic brain injury (concussion).
Baseline evaluations for diagnosing concussion do not improve diagnostic accuracy
A study by Dr. Lyndsey M. Ferris et al., published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine, analyzed the utility of baseline evaluations for identifying acute concussions in college athletes. The researchers found that using baseline evaluations does not significantly improve diagnostic accuracy.
Health disparities and barriers to effective and proper migraine treatment
An article in Harvard Health Publishing breaks down new research on healthcare disparities faced by patients with headache disorders. Researchers Jessica Kiarashi et al. found significant disparities based on race, sexuality, socioeconomic status (SES), urban/rural geographic differences, and more.
Many PA high schools’ sports concussion protocols fail to meet state mandates or include current best practices, full-time trainers may help
A study found significant gaps in a high proportion of PA schools with regard to both state mandates and current best practices, though protocols were much higher quality in schools with a full-time athletic trainer (AT).
Good resource on Meditation
Brainline recently highlighted their article on mediation in their Brain Injury and PTSD Treatment Hub. The article primarily has general information about meditation and references a few studies. When mental training and breathing techniques are combined, a person may be able to slow and calm down their mind.