Active clinical trials for "Brain Injuries"

TRAHT is a pilot randomized clinical trial designed to evaluate safety and feasibility of two red blood cells transfusion thresholds in moderate or severe traumatic brain injured patients

Sports-related concussions are a serious problem in football, boxing, and other full contact sports. After experiencing consecutive concussions, there is an increase in neurological deficits that can lead to long-term cognitive problems (Dementia pugilistica). To combat this increase in brain damage, novel strategies need to be developed to protect athletes that are participating in these full contact sports. The purpose of this study is to elucidate whether resveratrol decreases brain injury and improves brain function after experiencing a concussion in boxers.

The study is to investigate the efficacy and safety of autologous transplantation of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells in patients with the sequelae caused by severe brain injury.

The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of plasticity-based, adaptive cognitive remediation on the cognitive abilities, functional status and quality of life of soldiers and veterans diagnosed with persistent post-concussive symptoms (PPCS) following a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI, also referred to as a concussion, or blast exposure), as compared to a computer-based control.

Difficulties with intellectual functioning, particularly memory functions, are common and source of long-term disability after Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). However, there is very little information about pharmacologic (i.e., medication) treatments targeting these deficits. There are growing data showing brain abnormalities in acetylcholine, the chemical system that manages memory, in TBI. These findings provide the rationale for the use of cholinesterase inhibitors, medications that modulate this system, in TBI patients. As the prevalence of TBI among Veterans of recent military conflicts increases, becoming a "signature injury" of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, it is of utmost importance to the Veterans Health Administration to collect scientific data on the efficacy of pharmacological treatments for intellectual difficulties in TBI patients. This study will evaluate the effects of the cholinesterase inhibitor rivastigmine transdermal patch in Veterans with TBI and posttraumatic memory problems. Results will provide much needed data that will help treat Veterans with TBI.

The goal of this clinical research study at RIC is to determine the value and benefit of the SK multimodal balance training system through independent clinical evaluations. The functional benefit of the SK Balance system will be measured by any improvements in balance and functional assessments. This study is primarily funded through Engineering Acoustics as a subcontract for a phase II Small Business Innovation Research by the Department of Defense. 3) Hypotheses & Research Objectives and Purpose: The specific research questions to be addressed are: How does an 8-week SKBS+VRT training intervention compare to an 8-week standard VRT intervention on balance and functional gait measures in mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) participants. How do SKBS measurement tools compare to standard clinical assessments of gait and balance in mTBI patients The purpose of this clinical research study is to compare the value and benefit of the SK multimodal balance training system in combination with traditional vestibular rehabilitation vs. traditional vestibular rehabilitation alone through independent clinical evaluations. The functional benefit of the SK Balance system will be measured by any improvements in clinical measures of balance, functional mobility, and gait assessment.

Pediatric severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and disability in children ages 1-14 years old. There are no effective therapies to treat secondary brain injury and the post-injury response of CNS apoptosis and neuroinflammation. This study is a follow-up trial from a previously performed Phase I trial that demonstrated the safety and potential CNS structural preservation effect of intravenous autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNC) after severe TBI in children. (Cox, 2011) The study is designed as a prospective, randomized, placebo controlled, blinded Phase 2 safety/biological activity study. The investigators hope to determine the effect of intravenous infusion of autologous BMMNCs on brain structure and neurocognitive/functional outcomes after severe TBI in children.

Background: Traumatic brain injury may have a range of effects, from severe and permanent disability to more subtle functional and cognitive deficits that often go undetected during initial treatment. To improve treatments and therapies and to provide a uniform quality of care, more research is needed into different treatments for traumatic brain injury. Exercise has been shown to improve movement and balance in people with strokes, cerebral palsy, and other conditions that affect the brain, and can improve symptoms of memory problems or depression. Bright light therapy has also been shown to improve mood in people with depression. Researchers are interested in studying problems with movement, balance, thinking, and mood in people with traumatic brain injury. By comparing the effects of exercise and bright light exposure on brain function, new treatments may be developed for acute traumatic brain injury. Objectives: - To compare the effects of exercise and bright light therapy on the brain function of individuals with traumatic brain injury. Eligibility: - Individuals between 18 and 44 years of age who either have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury or are healthy volunteers. Design: Individuals with traumatic brain injury will have four outpatient evaluation visits at the clinical center, a 3-month home exercise program, and a 3-month bright light exposure program at home. Healthy volunteers will have one evaluation visit at the clinical center. At the first study visit, all participants will have a full physical examination and medical history. Individuals with traumatic brain injury will also have an eye exam to determine if it is safe for them to receive light therapy. All participants will have the following initial tests: Tests of walking and movement, including monitoring by a physical therapist; tests to record joint movement and evaluate muscle function; tests that combine movement, thinking, and speaking; and balance and reaction time tests. Magnetic resonance imaging scans Tests of thinking and mood, including questionnaires, computerized tests, and simple action tests. Participants with traumatic brain injury will have separate 3-month sessions of exercise and bright light therapy, with additional evaluation visits between each 3-month session and at the end of the study. Between the 3-month sessions, participants will have 1 month with no intervention. Exercise sessions will involve regular workouts on an elliptical machine for 30 minutes for 5 days a week, and bright light therapy sessions will involve sitting in front of a light box for 30 minutes for 5 days a week. Participants will keep a journal to monitor the effects of the therapy.

Some of the most common and disabling consequences of brain injury are deficits in cognition, such as difficulty with sustained attention, memory, organization, and goal management. The long-term goal of this research program is to develop and test novel neuroscience-based cognitive interventions for improving attentional regulation and related "executive function" brain processes involved in goal-directed behavior.

Objective: To evaluate real acupuncture, as compare to sham acupuncture, in improving persistent sleep difficulties in veterans with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) Design: Randomized, blinded, sham-controlled clinical trial Setting: Outpatient clinic at a major VA medical center in Southeast USA Participants: Sixty veterans aged 24-55 (mean 40) with history of mTBI at least 3-month and beyond, suffering from sleep difficulties refractory to regular care and sleep education, as indicated by a global Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score of 14.25 + 3.23 pre-intervention (baseline). They were randomized into 2 groups, real acupuncture versus sham acupuncture, and stratified by Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosed by PTSD CheckList - Military Version (PCL-M). Intervention: Real or sham acupuncture with both standardized and individualized acupoints selection. All subjects were informed that the treatments, if effective, may improve symptoms such as pain, anxiety or depression other than sleep; real acupuncture may not be effective in some individuals, and sham acupuncture may as well be effective by mind-body interactions. Outcome Measures: Primary outcome measure was global PSQI score change after intervention as compared to baseline. Secondary outcome measure was wrist-actigraphy sleep latency, sleep efficiency, wake after sleep onset (WASO), and sleep duration. PTSD was analyzed as a co-variant.