Active clinical trials for "Brain Injuries"

The purpose of this study is to determine if bone marrow harvest, BMMNC separation, and re-infusion in adults with acute severe TBI is safe and will improve functional outcome. 12/09/2015 Update: The study is closed to new enrollment and all follow-up visits have been completed. Data analysis is underway.

The purpose of the study is to investigate whether transcranial, high-intensity LED placed on the scalp can improve working memory in people who have sustained a concussion with lingering effects or a mild brain injury.

Central alexia is a common reading disorder caused by stroke. Patients with central alexia (CA) are slow to read and make frequent errors, and have additional problems with their spoken language. This study has 3 aims: Investigating the neural networks that support reading in patients with CA Despite being a relatively common syndrome, there have been no functional brain imaging studies of CA. This project will use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) to understand which brain regions are damaged and whether preserved parts of the reading network can be encouraged by therapy to support reading recovery. Testing a new treatment for CA The research team has developed training software called 'iReadMore', which uses a crossmodal approach (written words paired with spoken words) to train reading. This therapy has been shown to be effective in patients with a similar form of reading disorder called pure alexia. The iReadMore software will be adapted to address the reading deficit in CA, and the research will test whether it significantly improves reading ability. Using brain stimulation to enhance behavioural training Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a brain stimulation technique that has been shown to improve language performance in healthy controls and stroke patients. This study will test whether tDCS (delivered simultaneously with the 'iReadMore' therapy) significantly enhances reading rehabilitation. Patients will be split into two groups: one will receive a 4 week block of training plus real tDCS first, followed by a 4 week block of training plus sham tDCS; the other group will receive the two therapy blocks in the opposite order. Both groups will ultimately receive the same amount of behavioural therapy and tDCS stimulation. Comparing the reading improvement over the real and sham tDCS blocks will demonstrate whether tDCS enhances the behavioural improvements in reading ability. Hypothesis: iReadMore reading therapy will significantly improve single word reading speed in patients with central alexia. tDCS brain stimulation will significantly enhance the effect of iReadMore therapy, compared to sham stimulation.

To investigate the effectiveness of a peer-led social skills training intervention compared to social activity (usual care) to improve social communication skills following severe brain injury.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) is effective in the cognitive rehabilitation of patients with diffuse axonal injury(DAI) after Traumatic Brain Injury(TBI).

This study proposes to investigate how well Bright White Light Therapy will work in the acute inpatient rehabilitation units for people whom have experienced a traumatic brain injury for the purpose of treating sleep disruption. Participants will be assessed based on sleep efficiency, thinking abilities, therapy participation, and perception of fatigue/sleepiness. In previous studies dim red light has not had the same effects on function as bright white light, and will be chosen for use as a placebo. Each subject will be randomized to receive 30 minutes of either Bright White Light Therapy or Red Light Treatment each morning for 10 days. To measure the effect of this treatment, the investigators will measure the each participants sleep daily by using an actigraph watch. This watch will record movement continuously. The investigators will also measure the subjects' report of how well they slept, whether fatigue is present, and how attentive they are before and after treatment. Research Hypothesis: In persons with TBI, prospectively compare overnight sleep in a cohort exposed to morning Bright White Light with a comparison group exposed to Red Light in an acute inpatient rehabilitation setting.

This study is a prospective multi-centre randomized trial to compare the effect of long-term mild hypothermia versus routine normothermic intensive management in patients with severe traumatic brain injury. The primary hypothesis is that the induction of mild hypothermia (maintained at 34-35℃) for 5 days will improve the outcome of patients at six months post injury compared with normothermia.

To evaluate the short and longer-term efficacy of a structured outpatient intervention program (The Resilience and Adjustment Intervention, RAI) to improve survivors' resilience. To evaluate the impact of treatment on emotional well-being and postinjury adjustment. To evaluate the impact of the intervention on abilities including problem solving, communication, and stress management. To examine the extent to which treatment benefits are sustained in the longer-term.

In recent years, media attention has focused on the long-term sequelae of repeated concussive episodes in professional athletes. The growing understanding of the damage done by what was once considered a "ding" during a game or match, and the neurologic consequences of "playing through" or returning to play too soon has led to additional interest in and concern for pediatric athletes (18 or under) who experience sports-related concussions during game or practice play. Because it has only been in recent years that the full scope of damage done by repeated concussive episodes has come to light, very little research has been done on treatment of concussion in either adults or children. Brain injuries in children can be especially problematic, as the brain may continue to develop until the child reaches the age of 24 or older, so concussion during this time of development may be particularly damaging. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an omega-3 fatty acid commonly found in both fish oils and algae. DHA is known to improve development of the eyes and brain in young children. It is thought to be an effective anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant, and since it occurs naturally and causes very few harmful side effects, it may be a useful compound in the treatment of pediatric concussion. This is a feasibility trial of DHA for the treatment of sports concussion in a pediatric population. The investigators' primary aim is to determine acceptability of randomization for this compound as well as rate of enrollment given our clinical population. The investigators' secondary aim is to examine preliminary outcomes. The investigators hypothesize that subjects who take 2 g of DHA daily for 3 months will see a shorter time to full recovery and return to play and a shorter time to resolve balance disturbance. These are good, albeit unvalidated, clinical indicators of concussive recovery.

Due to recent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the number of Veteran suffering from Mild traumatic brain(MTBI) injury and PTSD increases rapidly. Headache is one of the most debilitating clinical symptoms in Veteran with MTBI and the cause of it is still not entirely clear. Recently, the use of non-invasive brain stimulation such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation(rTMS) has yielded favorable clinical outcome in a few intractable chronic central pain conditions including headaches. This study aims to 1) assess the effect of rTMS in relieving headache and improving neurophysiological functions; and 2)explore the neuronal mechanisms associated with MTBI related headache and the analgesic effect of rTMS with function magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).