Active clinical trials for "Brain Injuries"

There is no AED or medication that has been demonstrated to affect the development of post-traumatic epilepsy. Biperiden is a cholinergic antagonist, acting in the muscarinic receptor, that is widely used as an anti Parkinson drug. The investigators data with animal models of epilepsy indicate that anti-muscarinic agents might affect the natural course of the disease in the case of post-traumatic epilepsy.

The purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence of GHD in patients who sustain a head injury or suffer a major traumatic event and to evaluate the efficacy of growth hormone (GH) therapy in the treatment of GHD caused by trauma or head injury

A Randomized, Double Blind, Placebo Controlled, Phase 2 Dose Escalation Study to Investigate the Safety and Pharmacokinetics after Single and Multiple I.V. Doses of SLV334 in Sequential Cohorts of Patients with Moderate and Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.

The primary objective of the study is to determine whether armodafinil treatment is more effective than placebo treatment in patients with excessive sleepiness associated with mild or moderate closed traumatic brain injury (TBI).

When a physiologic tool to measure the patient's hypnotic state is added to current practice tools is there a decrease in the amount of drug the patient receives.

To establish the effects of genotropin replacement on cognitive function in patients with severe growth hormone deficiency after traumatic brain injury.

This is a prospective randomized controlled pilot study in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients who are sedated with either propofol or midazolam to compare the cytokine response and neuropsychological outcomes with and without elevated blood alcohol levels. Sedation is part of the standard treatment in patients with a TBI and has been proposed as a neuroprotective intervention in head-injured patients. Sedative regimens, such as midazolam and propofol, are not standardized and it is unclear whether sedation has a significant impact on recovery and outcome. A review of propofol versus midazolam in mechanically ventilated patients shows evidence that both provide effective sedation but there is lack of data to support one sedative over the other. Cytokines are released in response to tissue injury and act to generate a variety of physiologic responses. The cytokine elevation has been correlated with the extent of tissue injury. This study will compare the cytokine distribution patterns at specific posttraumatic time points in patients with a TBI sedated with either propofol or midazolam. Additional analysis will compare the cytokine response in patients whom had elevated blood alcohol levels with those with normal levels. Neuropsychological testing will also be performed to determine the extent of brain injury and recovery.

The overall goal of the proposed project is to perform a preliminary study to assess the potential effects of galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) on the outcomes of a cognitive test of attention and the outcomes of robot-assisted upper-limb rehabilitation.

Invasive intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring is highly effective, but involves risks. HS-1000 measures ICP non-invasively by assessing the acoustic properties of the patient's head. HS-1000 device, a proprietary non-invasive ICP monitor, is expected to safely and accurately monitor ICP with minimal discomfort to patients, and provide information about normal or elevated ICP levels to the physicians.

Deficits in memory, attention, cognitive, and executive functions are the most common disabilities after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Dopamine (DA) neurotransmission is implicated in these neural functions and dopaminergic pathways are recognized to be frequently disrupted after TBI. One of the most widely used DAergic drugs is methylphenidate (Ritalin®). Methylphenidate increases synaptic DA levels by binding to presynaptic dopamine transporters (DAT) and blocking re-uptake. PET with methylphenidate challenge to measure tonic DA release provides valuable insight into the molecular basis of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and addiction, as well as practical information regarding likely effectiveness of therapy (1). The objectives of this study are to use PET imaging with [11C]-raclopride, a D2/D3 receptor ligand, before and after administering methylphenidate, to measure endogenous DA release in patients who are experiencing problems with cognition, attention and executive function in the chronic stage after TBI. In addition, we will use TMS to test short intracortical inhibition, a gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor A (GABAA) - mediated phenomenon, which is under partial DA control, as a measure of dopaminergic activity on and off methylphenidate.