Active clinical trials for "Brain Injuries"

The ability to regulate impulses enables us to plan for the future, to maintain focus in the face of distractions (i.e. to encode memories), and to manage emotions. This self regulation can be compromised in individuals who have a history of mild traumatic brain injury and co-occurring disorders. In this study the investigators are using functional MRI scanning to understand how memory and self regulation are expressed in the brains of people with a history of mild traumatic brain injury. The investigators are also testing whether the medication tolcapone may improve memory and self regulation.

Using a prospective cohort of children admitted to the PICU, the investigators will determine HRV monitoring is feasible, if a decreased HRV in the 7 days following moderate or severe TBI in children is associated with a worse outcome 6 months post-TBI and investigate HRV as a tool that can predict adverse events (neurological crisis) within 2 days following TBI.

Patients with Head Injury have been associated with varying degree of cardiac dysfunction resulting in adverse events during emergency surgery and during recover from head injury. This study intends to study the incidence and impact of cardiac dysfunction using electrocardiogram, transthoracic echocardiogram and cardiac enzyme levels in head injury patients during and following emergency surgery. Our results will facilitate better management, guide specific therapy and help in prognostication in this group of patients.

Observational study to investigate the natural course of intracranial pressure (ICP) after decompressive craniectomy (DC) using long-term telemetric ICP monitoring. Patients will have continuous ICP measurement performed during the admission to the neuro-intensive care unit (NICU) and after discharge weekly measurements sessions will be performed before and after cranioplasty.

The LITES Network is an operational trauma center consortium which has the expertise, track record and confirmed capabilities to conduct prospective, multicenter, injury care and outcomes research of relevance to the Department of Defense (DoD). Hemorrhage and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) are responsible for the largest proportion of all trauma-related deaths. It is the poly-trauma patient who suffers both hemorrhagic shock and traumatic brain injury where a paucity of evidence exists to direct treatment, limiting the development of beneficial trauma practice guidelines. The use of Whole Blood (WB) for early trauma resuscitation has been touted as the 'essential next step' in the evolution of trauma resuscitation. Despite its historical and more recent use, little is known regarding WB's benefit relative to the 'current practice' ratio-based blood component therapy in the acutely bleeding patient, and even less is known regarding its effects in patients with TBI. AIM#1: Evaluate patient centered outcomes associated with early whole blood resuscitation practice as compared to component resuscitation in poly-trauma patients with hemorrhagic shock and further characterize outcome benefits in those with traumatic brain injury. AIM#2: Characterize blood pressure and resuscitation endpoints during the acute resuscitation phase of care and the associated/attributable outcomes for traumatic brain injury in patients with hemorrhagic shock. General Hypothesis #1: Whole blood resuscitation will be associated with improved mortality and resuscitation outcomes in poly-trauma patients and long term neurological outcome in those patients with traumatic brain injury as compared to those resuscitated with component therapy. General Hypothesis #2: Differences in prehospital and acute phase resuscitation systolic blood pressure will be associated with differential outcomes in patients with traumatic brain injury at discharge and at 6 months. Study Design: The LITES network will perform a multicenter, prospective, observational cohort study over a 4 year period to determine the impact of whole blood resuscitation in trauma patients with hemorrhagic shock at risk of large volume resuscitation with and without TBI. Early whole blood resuscitation will be compared to standard component resuscitation. The study will also further characterize blood pressure and resuscitation endpoints in poly-trauma patients with traumatic brain injury. Six Trauma sites with appropriate characteristics will be selected from 12 LITES Network sites across the country. Study Setting: The study will be performed utilizing busy level I trauma centers within the LITES Network located across the country, at sites where either whole blood has currently been incorporated into standard of care or where component blood transfusion is being utilized for patients in hemorrhagic shock at risk for large volume resuscitation. Study Population: The study will focus on patients who suffer blunt or penetrating injury, transported to a SWAT participating LITES trauma center with evidence of hemorrhagic shock at risk of large volume blood resuscitation.

The recovery of walking ability is one of the primary rehabilitation goals for children with neurological impairment. The aim of the study is to investigate the clinical effectiveness of rehabilitation treatments based of Robotic-Assisted Gait Training (RAGT). Additional goals of the research are to identify the specific effects of RAGT in children with different etiologies (acquired brain injury and cerebral palsy) and with different levels of function (according to the Gross Motor Function Classification System).

Although direct evidence is currently lacking, the high identity between SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 suggests, that the latter viral strain could also infect the Central Nervous System (CNS). Indeed, some cases of SARS-COV2 encephalitis begin to be described and CNS damages are increasingly highlighted in the literature, but still not objectified by imaging and do not allow to explain the entire clinical patterns. We hypothesise that these CNS damages are not always objectified by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) but could be indirectly observed by a physiological dysfunction of neural conduction in the brainstem. We will explore brainstem disruption through an electrophysiological approach.

Observational longitudinal study assessing outcomes following moderate-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Severe trauma is one of the leading causes of morbidity, mortality, and disability worldwide. Currently, it is the primary cause of death among individuals under 45 years of age. This disease, considered a "silent pandemic," exhibits heterogeneous physiopathology and unequal geographic distribution in terms of the type of injuries. The prognosis of subjects who have suffered severe trauma is uncertain, especially in patients with traumatic brain injury. The epidemiology of severe trauma has undergone changes in recent years due to the global aging of society, resulting in different populations with older ages and more associated comorbidities. These factors are frequently linked to the use of chronic treatments such as antiplatelet agents or anticoagulants, which could worsen traumatic hemorrhage-the leading preventable cause of death following severe trauma. Despite efforts for primary prevention, such as road safety campaigns and occupational risk prevention, the annual incidence of severe trauma cases worldwide remains high. Enhancing the management of trauma patients would significantly influence the final clinical outcomes. Given the aforementioned, it is of vital importance to understand the local epidemiology of severe trauma for the development of clinical research. This constitutes an effective tool to investigate changes in clinical practices, improve prevention strategies, and determine the global burden of the disease. The hypothesis of the IcuTrauma Project is to create a territorial Registry of adults with severe trauma admitted to the ICU to understand the local epidemiology in Tarragona (Spain). This initiative would facilitate new lines of clinical research aimed at improving outcomes and the quality of care for trauma patients.

The objective of this study is to identify home safety hazards for adolescents with acquired brain injury and to identify adaptations to the home healthcare virtual simulation training system (HH-VSTS) to improve the user experience for adolescents with ABI