A recent study of the brains of 84 deceased women who experienced intimate partner violence found that the brains consistently showed signs of traumatic brain injury but that none met the criteria for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

In a recent New York Times report, Dave Phillips brought attention to abundant evidence indicating that brain injuries and “serious and lasting harm” in veterans are related to their exposure to repetitive blasts from weapons used in training.

A study in Neurology Advisor found that for active and retired professional fighters exposed to repetitive head impacts, blood plasma measurements of the biomarkers GFAP and NfL “may help identify those who are at risk for progressive regional brain atrophy and cognitive decline.”

A study found that these measures of blood oxygen variability (measured with fMRI) are significantly better at detecting concussion in athletes than widely used computerized cognitive diagnostic testing (i.e., ImPACT)

Vision therapy may be valuable for those suffering vision problems after a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Optometrist Maureen Oyaide-Ofenor explains the process of vision therapy in an article published in Optometry Times Journal.

A paper published in the Journal of Neurotrauma found that children with persistent symptoms had imaging “evidence of ongoing microstructural reorganization or neuroinflammation,” highlighting the importance of delaying a child’s return to play following a concussion if symptoms are persisting.

A new pilot study from researchers Viddiparti et al. found that, over a 70-day period, medical marijuana use in 15 study participants significantly improved PTSD symptom severity and also produced a significant reduction in nightmares.

A recent study presented at the Radiological Society of North America found a significant decline in the microscopic structural integrity of brain tissue and a decline in verbal learning performance for young adult amateur soccer players who performed a high number of headers over two years.

Most everyday tasks involve a type of thinking called executive function. These executive function skills are responsible for accomplishing tasks and problem-solving. When one experiences an injury to the brain, resulting executive dysfunction can make it challenging to navigate through everyday life.

Aamy Woldesenbet, an internship alum, said, "We were exposed to a bunch of literature and experiences as well, anecdotes from people who gave panels as well as fellow interns. I realized concussion has had a huge impact on people's lives." His interview was one in a series about how Concussion Alliance impacted interns' lives going forward.

Zachary Napora, an internship alum, said, "I had a long-term concussion, was looking for answers, and just stumbled upon the website and got a lot of help from Concussion Alliance. When I recovered, I went back on the website, saw they had an internship program and applied from there.” His interview was one in a series about how Concussion Alliance impacted interns' lives going forward.

Arthur Onwumere, an internship alum, said, "It opened a lot of doors for me in terms of internships later on." His interview was one in a series about how Concussion Alliance impacted interns' lives going forward.

Andy Pham, an internship alum, said, "I think it was a great foundational step in moving forward as a future public health leader.” His interview was one in a series about how Concussion Alliance impacted interns' lives going forward.

Amanda Cheney Zitting, an internship alum, said, "The highlights were gaining a better knowledge and feeling more confident in my skill set, as well as my knowledge around concussion and mental health." Her interview was one in a series about how Concussion Alliance impacted interns' lives going forward.

Kira Kunzman, a two-time intern alum, said, "It was the first internship that I really felt comfortable expressing my opinion. A lot of internships don't really give you the opportunity to create your own materials and add to the organization in a meaningful way." Her interview was one in a series about how Concussion Alliance impacted interns' lives going forward.

Caroline Saksena, an internship alum, said, "I think what was really valuable for my internship experience was when they had guest speakers come in.” Her interview was one in a series about how Concussion Alliance impacted interns' lives going forward.

Melissa Brown, an internship alum, said, " If people are trying to get into the internship, do the internship. That's my 2 cents." Her interview was one in a series about how Concussion Alliance impacted interns' lives going forward.

Padmini Konidena, an internship alum, said, "I think the mission of Concussion Alliance is really great, just spreading knowledge to people who may not know as much about concussion." Her interview was one in a series about how Concussion Alliance impacted interns' lives going forward.

We are super excited about this opportunity! When you register with the TROOPS referral program, you will be connected with multiple research teams, several of which are recruiting for studies of treatments for concussion (mTBI). Civilians are welcome to join, and there is no upper age limit.

A study published by Andrea Schneider et al. in the American Heart Association journal Stroke highlights how a prior history of traumatic brain injury is strongly associated with long-term stroke risk among US military veterans. Based on previous research, TBI is highly prevalent among military veterans. Those with prior TBI are at an increased long-term risk for stroke.