Active clinical trials for "Brain Injuries"

The purpose of this study is to address the need for targeted treatments that induce functional and structural changes in the brain, ultimately improving neurobehavioral functioning, the investigators propose examining the therapeutic effectiveness of repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS). The objective is to improve functional recovery for persons remaining in vegetative (VS) and minimally conscious (MCS) states 3 to 24 months after severe TBI. The approach is to determine the neurobehavioral effect of rTMS, the relationship between neurobehavioral changes and net neural effects, and to identify and define the neural mechanisms related to neurobehavioral improvements by providing 30 active or placebo rTMS sessions.

Severely brain injured patients are at high risk of intracranial hypertension. Among medical treatments (sedatives), neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBA) are recommended by french but not english speaking societies. Effects of NMBA are unknown. The present study is designed to compare the effects of NMBA versus placebo in the treatment of intracranial hypertension, and the underlying physiopathologic effects.

The main objective of this study is to compare the clinical outcomes of TBI patients receiving only Sterofundin or 0.9% saline as main fluid therapy.

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of exercise on recovery after traumatic brain injury. Investigators will determine if exercise enhances rehabilitation by increasing substances (proteins) that can facilitate recovery.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate early and delayed effects of Transcranial LED Therapy (TCLT) and determinate whether this therapy is effective for cognitive rehabilitation of Diffuse Axonal Injury patients after Traumatic Brain Injury.

This will be an open, prospective pilot study with pharmacological analysis. This study is designed to assess the efficacity and safety of dexmedetomidine-based sedation in two subgroups of neurocritically ill patients requiring mechanical ventilation for more than 48 hours. Those with or at risk for intracranial hypertension requiring deep sedation and those requiring a light to moderate sedation for early neurological evaluation. The main objective is to assess the feasability of dexmedetomidine infusion in terms of efficacy and safety (especially cardiovascular tolerance) in brain-injured patients admitted to intensive care unit and requiring sedation and mechanical ventilation for a predictable duration greater than or equal to 48 hours. Secondary objectives include the study of hemodynamic parameters evolution, dose-response relationship, blood (+/- cerebrospinal fluid) drug concentration, opioates and co-hypnotic consumption.

An increase in blood glucose is a common clinical symptom in patients following traumatic brain injury. Studies confirm that death after traumatic brain injury was not only associated with nerve injury, but also correlated with abnormal physiological and metabolic reactions. Hyperglycemia is a manifestation of physiological and metabolic disorders after traumatic brain injury. Traumatic brain injury induced hyperglycemia, and then aggravated secondary injury to the brain. Therefore, it is of important clinical significance to study the treatment of hyperglycemia after traumatic brain injury.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether galvanic vestibular stimulation is effective in the treatment of spatial neglect after right brain-damage.

Aerobic exercise holds a multitude of health benefits. Studies in mice have shown that aerobic exercise improves memory, and increases the volume of the hippocampus, the brain's primary memory center. Only two studies have been conducted in humans, one in healthy elders, and the other in a schizophrenia population. So far, there has never been an aerobic exercise trial in traumatic brain injury (TBI) to look at hippocampal volume and memory as outcomes of interest. The proposed project is a randomized controlled trial of aerobic exercise in persons with TBI. We will conduct a 12-week (36 sessions) program of aerobic exercise (stationary cycling), versus a control condition of non-aerobic exercise (stretching), in memory-impaired TBI patients to a) increase hippocampal volume and b) improve memory. Importantly, we also expect benefits of aerobic exercise on the level of brain function. Specifically, we will look at 'functional connectivity,' which refers to how efficiently remote regions of the brain 'talk' to each other. TBI is an ideal population to benefit from aerobic exercise, given the young age at which many individuals sustain TBI, which allows for benefits of aerobic exercise to be maximally realized in a population with sufficient neurofunctional reserve. The expected benefits of aerobic exercise (increased hippocampal volume, improved memory) from this intervention stand to have a meaningful impact on people with TBI, including improved health, productivity, independence, and quality of life. And, unlike current treatments for memory impairment (e.g., pharmacological agents, cognitive rehabilitation), aerobic exercise is a cost-effective, all natural, readily-available treatment for memory problems.

The purpose of this study is to develop and validate eye-tracking measures that can be used to evaluate neurocognitive dysfunction among individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI).