Pediatric Concussion Outcomes
Concussion Post SyndromeHeadaches Posttraumatic1 moreThis is a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded trial in which subjects with a post concussive headache meeting inclusion criterion will be assigned to one of two treatment groups: placebo or nortriptyline. Each group will be evaluated at week 0 and again each week for the next 4 weeks of treatment with a concussion survey that rates their symptoms. At the end of 4 weeks the study will be unblinded. It is hypothesized that the addition of nortriptyline to the standard headache treatments will result in more rapid decrease of symptom score than with placebo.
Alzheimer's Autism and Cognitive Impairment Stem Cell Treatment Study
Alzheimer DiseaseAlzheimer Dementia19 moreThe purpose of the study is to evaluate the use of autologous Bone Marrow Derived Stem Cells (BMSC) as a means to improve cognitive impairment as occurs in Alzheimer's Disease and other dementias and to improve behavior and socialization issues which occur in adult Autism Spectrum Disorder. The use of Near Infrared Light, in conjunction with the use of BMSC, will also be assessed.
Caregiver Wellness After Traumatic Brain Injury (CG-WELL): An Intervention Designed to Promote Well-being...
TraumaBrainAfter injury, survivors of msTBI depend on informal family caregivers. Upwards of 77% of family caregivers experience poor outcomes, such as adverse life changes, poor health related quality of life, and increased depressive symptoms. Caregivers frequently report minimal support or training to prepare them for their new role. Periods of care transitions, such as ICU discharge, are most difficult. The majority (93%) of previously developed caregiver and caregiver/survivor dyad interventions after msTBI focus on providing information or practical skills to either survivors, or to long-term caregivers (>6 months post injury), rather than education, support, and skill-building that the new caregiver may use proactively that will benefit the dyad acutely after injury. The Aims of this proposal are to: (1) Determine feasibility, satisfaction, and data trends of CG-Well; and (2) Understand how baseline psychosocial risk factors affect response to CG-Well compared to an Information, Support, and Referral control group. To accomplish this, I will first enroll 6-10 caregivers and tailor CG-well until each finds the intervention acceptable, appropriate, and feasible. I will then enroll 100 (50/group) dyads and determine satisfaction ratings, recruitment, retention, and treatment fidelity of CG-Well. Additionally, I will determine if caregivers report reductions in depressive symptoms and improvements in life changes as a result of improvements in task difficulty and threat appraisal in CG-Well compared to ISR at six months. Information obtained in Aims 1 and 2 will be used to plan a larger Phase III trial of CG-Well. Completing these Aims and the training plan will improve outcomes of caregivers and downstream outcomes of survivors of msTBI, and provide me with the skillset necessary to become an independent researcher who can develop and test high-impact, high-fidelity, sustainable interventions.
Brain Injury Education and Outpatient Navigation-1stBIEN
Brain InjuriesTraumatic1 moreTraumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant problem for U.S. Hispanic children. Compared to non-Hispanic children, Hispanic children have higher long-term disability and lower health related quality of life, even though differences are not present at hospital discharge. Rehabilitation decreases disability, but needs timely initiation, and long treatments in hospitals, community healthcare facilities and schools. Parents play a key role in their child's recovery. Hispanic parents face additional barriers to initiate and maintain outpatient treatments. They report knowledge gaps in TBI-education, community, and school support systems; language and health literacy barriers. The investigators developed, a bilingual bicultural theory-based program for Hispanic families consisting of Brain Injury Education and outpatient care Navigation (1st BIEN). It integrates in-person education enriched by video content delivered through mobile phones, with navigation during transitions to outpatient care and school return. The pilot established feasibility and acceptability of the program. This randomized control trial will determine efficacy to maintain long-term adherence to rehabilitation and reduce disability. It will enroll 150 parent-child dyads: children (6-17 y), with mild-complicated, moderate-severe TBI in 5 centers in Washington, Texas, Dallas, Utah and Oregon and their parents. Intervention group parents receive: One in-person education session, plus bi-weekly videos tailored to the child's TBI and therapies; and, 3-months of bilingual outpatient care navigation. Attention control parents receive one in person-education session, monthly well-child texts and usual institutional follow up care. Primary outcome is treatment adherence at 6 months post-discharge measured by percentage of follow-up appointments attended during the prescribed time at hospitals, and community care facilities. Secondary outcomes are functional status of the child using PROMIS parental report measures; and parental health literacy, self-efficacy, and mental health at 3, 6, and 12 months after discharge. Child's academic performance will be assessed using school records. The study evaluates a flexible and scalable intervention using mobile phones to aid transitions of care, improve treatment adherence and TBI outcomes. It addresses the needs of an understudied population and can serve as a model for TBI family centered care for at risk groups.
Ketamine in Acute Brain Injury Patients.
Brain InjuriesTraumaticAlthough, in the past years, an increasing use of ketamine in Traumatic Brain injury (TBI) has been reported as an adjunct to other sedatives, there is no evidence from randomized clinical trial to support this practice. The BIKe (Brain Injury and Ketamine) study is a double-blind placebo controlled randomized multicenter clinical trial to examine the safety and feasibility of using ketamine as an adjunct to a standard sedative strategy in TBI patients.
Effect of Early Coma Arousal Therapy on Conscious Level Recovery and Cognition in Traumatic Brain...
Effect of Early Coma Arousal Therapy on Conscious Level and Cognitive Function in Traumatic Brain InjuryPURPOSE: The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of early coma arousal therapy on conscious level and cognitive function in sever traumatic brain injury patients. BACKGROUND: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) could be simply defined as an alteration in brain function due to external forces and is considered as one of the leading cause of death and disability worldwide, especially among young adults and the elderly. Current estimates imply that annual incidence of TBI is 50-60 million worldwide, and specifically for Europe and USA, 0.5% of Europeans and 1.1% of Americans are experiencing a TBI each year. The original scale has since been revised and is known as the Rancho Los Amigos Revised Scale (RLAS-R). One of the limitations of the original eight level scale was that it did not accurately reflect the individuals with higher levels of recovery. Two more levels were added to the initial eight level Ranchos Scale to create a more comprehensive ten level scale named the Rancho Los Amigos Revised Scale (RLAS-R).
Neuropsychological Rehabilitation Over the Internet
StrokeAcute Ischemic5 moreHelsinki University Hospital (HUS) has decided on a strategy to provide digital health care services for several medical specialties - a project called the Health Village (HealthVillage.fi). Within Health Village a specific digital My Path program, iRENE Digital Pathway, has been developed for web-based neuropsychological rehabilitation. iRENE Digital Pathway is a structured program for adults with an acquired brain injury (ABI), which utilizes psychoeducative information and self-evaluation questionnaires for attentional, memory and executive disorders with a feedback, and provides training for internal and external memory and other cognitive strategies. The current study will explore if web-based neuropsychological rehabilitation is a feasible and effective method for carrying out rehabilitation for adults with ABI.
Neural Basis of Decision-Making Deficits in Traumatic Brain Injury
Traumatic Brain InjuryBackground: People with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) can have trouble making the best possible decisions. Researchers want to learn more about the parts of the brain that control decision making. They also want to know how these are different between people. This may help predict how people make decisions after TBI. Objective: To learn more about which parts of the brain are involved in making decisions and how decisions may be hurt after TBI. Eligibility: Adults age 18 to 60. Design: Participants will be screened with medical history and physical exam. They will also take memory, attention, concentration, and thinking tests. Participants will do up to 2 experiments. For Experiment 1, participants may have 3 scans: PET: a chemical is injected through a thin tube into an arm vein. Participants lie on a bed that slides in and out of the scanner. MRI: a strong magnetic field and radio waves take pictures of the brain. Participants lie on a table that slides in and out of a metal cylinder. It makes loud knocking noises. Participants will get earplugs. They might be asked to do a task. A coil will be placed over the head. MEG: a cone with magnetic field detectors is lowered onto participants head. After the scans, participants will perform a decision-making task. For Experiment 2, participants will perform a decision-making task before and after receiving transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). tDCS: wet electrode sponges are placed over participants' scalp and forehead. A current passes between the electrodes. It stimulating the brain. Participants will return 24-48 hours later to repeat the decision-making task. ...
HOme-Based Self-management and COgnitive Training CHanges Lives (HOBSCOTCH) -Post-Traumatic Epilepsy...
EpilepsyTraumatic2 moreThe purpose of this study is to assess the ability of the home-based intervention, HOBSCOTCH-PTE, to improve the quality of life and cognitive function in Service Members, Veterans and civilians with post traumatic epilepsy (PTE). This study will also assess the ability of the HOBSCOTCH-PTE program to improve quality of life in caregivers of PTE patients and to reduce caregiver burden.
Neurorehabilitation After Traumatic Brain Injury: Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study
Traumatic Brain InjuryThe current study aims to better understand cerebral plasticity mechanisms to optimize non-pharmacological rehabilitation approaches for patients with traumatic brain injury.