Active clinical trials for "Brain Injuries"

The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of a multi-professional theoretically based family centered intervention, The Traumatic Brain Injury Family System Intervention (TBIFSI), for the family members and TBI patients in improving family dynamics and functioning. The intervention will be provided in collaboration with the municipal rehabilitation service. The intervention group will be compared with a control group receiving treatment as usual, defined as an individually tailored multidisciplinary approach, and the family members will attend one ongoing psycho-educational group session of 2.5 hour provided by Oslo University Hospital (OUH).

The present trial intends to assess whether Salovum®, an egg powder enriched for antisecretory factor given to patients with severe traumatic brain injury will improve outcome compared to a control group given placebo egg powder. 100 patients with GCS<9 will be enrolled and randomised to active or placebo treatment during maximum 5 days. Salovum® or placebo will be administered orally by nasogastric feeding tubes. Primary endpoint will be overall 30 data mortality. Secondary endpoints will be intracranial pressure and treatment intensity level.

There is practical evidence but no scientific investigations that persons with severe disorders of consciousness can profit from animal-assisted therapy regarding their level of awareness. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of animal-assisted therapy on brain activity of inpatients at REHAB Basel with severe disorders of consciousness. To do so, the frontal brain activity of 20 the inpatients at REHAB Basel in a minimally conscious state is investigated via near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Moreover, 20 healthy participants are included as control subjects.

Metacognition, in-the-moment awareness of performance while engaging in cognitive tasks, is negatively affected by traumatic brain injury (TBI). Metacognitive deficits can greatly reduce quality of life for individuals with TBI as functioning in this domain has been closely linked with successful independent living and community re-integration. Problematically, there are currently no empirically validated treatment options that address metacognitive deficits after TBI. Recent research in healthy samples demonstrates that specific listening interventions may alter neural activation in brain works associated with metacognition and can improve metacognitive functioning; however, it remains unknown if these effects generalize to individuals with TBI. Thus, the objective of the proposed study is to use a double-blind, placebo controlled randomized clinical trial to determine the efficacy of applying a specific listening intervention to improve metacognition after TBI and to employ functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to document the neural mechanisms by which the intervention operates.

Our central hypothesis is that chronic balance deficits after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) result from impairments in central sensorimotor integration (CSMI) that may be helped by rehabilitation. There are two objectives of this proposal; the first objective is to characterize balance deficits in people with mTBI. The second objective is to use a novel auditory bio-feedback (ABF) device to improve measures central sensorimotor integration and balance control.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and chronic pain are common and serious health problems for military veterans and often co-occur, leading to poor post-deployment adjustment. Pharmacological treatments for pain elevate risk of opioid abuse, and research suggests veterans perceive barriers to existing non-pharmacological, clinic-based treatments. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop pain management approaches that are effective, overcome barriers to care, and are readily usable by Veterans. Evidence suggests that neuromodulatory treatments, grounded in understanding of neurophysiological mechanisms of pain, reduce pain-related symptoms and have the potential to be developed into self-directed treatments through use of mobile technology.

Cognitive behavioral therapy for major depressive disorder (MDD) was adapted for individuals with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) (CBT-TBI). A structured, treatment manual was developed. The primary aim is to evaluate the acceptability and tolerability of, and adherence to, CBT-TBI in a randomized waitlist-controlled, 12-week pilot trial (N=40). The exploratory aim is to evaluate the potential efficacy of CBT-TBI for MDD in the randomized pilot trial (N=40) and possible moderators and mediators of outcome.

Background: Research has extensively documented the adverse impact that caring for an individual with an acquired brain injury can have including financial difficulties, social isolation, family tension and conflict, relationship difficulties, role adjustment and psychological distress (Foster et al., 2012). Research has indicated that Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) shows promise for increasing wellbeing and psychological flexibility in caregivers and could be a useful intervention for use with this population. Aims: The primary aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility of using an ACT intervention to enhance the wellbeing and the psychological flexibility of carers using the Population, Intervention, Control, and Outcomes (PICO) framework. Methods: The current study is a randomised control design, exploring the feasibility of comparing the efficacy of an ACT intervention to Enhanced Treatment As Usual (ETAU), to improve the wellbeing of the carers of adults with an acquired brain injury (ABI). Participants will be recruited from the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust (BIRT) in Glasgow, Scotland and randomly assigned to either an ACT intervention group or TAU control group. Both will be assessed in parallel to one another completing a range of baseline and post-baseline measures. Applications: This feasibility study will provide information for further research on the utilisation of an ACT intervention to improve the wellbeing of carers and whether this is an acceptable intervention for this population.

This is a research study of an interdisciplinary pain management program for U.S. military veterans who served during the post-9/11 combat eras (e.g., Operations Iraqi Freedom [OIF], Enduring Freedom [OEF], New Dawn [OND]) presenting with chronic musculoskeletal pain related to military service with comorbid depression and/or posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD] symptoms and/or mild traumatic brain injury. This study will test the efficacy of an interdisciplinary pain program compared to treatment as usual in the Veterans Health Administration on pain-related disability, opioid medication use, and pain coping.

Many Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn era Veterans have suffered a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), and now cope with multiple post-injury symptoms, including sleep disturbances (especially insomnia). Chronic insomnia in mTBI patients has the potential to exacerbate other symptoms, delay recovery, and negatively affect many of the cognitive, psychological, and neuromuscular sequelae of mTBI, thereby decreasing quality of life. Although Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) has been shown to be an effective evidence-based treatment for insomnia, there are no published randomized controlled trials evaluating the potential strengths and/or limitations of CBT-I in post-mTBI patients. Therefore, assessing CBT-I in the context of mTBI holds promise to provide substantial benefits in terms of improved rehabilitation outcomes in Veterans who have suffered mTBI.