Active clinical trials for "Brain Injuries, Traumatic"

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most frequent cause of motor handicap among children. The economic burden of CP in USA includes $1.18 billion in direct medical costs, $1.05 billion in direct non-medical costs, and an additional $9.24 billion in indirect costs, for a total cost of $11.5 billion or $921,000 average cost per person. Associated disabilities as mental retardation, delayed speech development add psychological burden of the disease on the family as well as economic burden. Mental retardation is the major problem in children with cerebral palsy. Improving mental development will have a positive effect on quality of life for the child and his family. Treating associated impairments (mental retardation) with Cerebrolysin will improve mental development and quality of life, and will decrease the economic burden in children with cerebral palsy.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and disability in people under age 45 in industrialized countries. Significant numbers of US veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan return with TBI. However, to date, there are no specific neuroprotective treatment options with proven clinical efficacy. Erythropoietin (EPO) is approved by the FDA to treat anemia and has comprehensive preclinical data supporting its neuroprotective and neuroregenerative efficacy following traumatic (TBI) and a wide range of other acquired brain insults. Injury to small and medium-sized cerebral blood vessels is a well recognized consequence of TBI. EPO increases production of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and promotes angiogenesis and neovascularization after TBI. EPO also promotes neurogenesis and improves functional recovery in animals after experimental stroke and TBI. Neovascularization is coupled with neurogenesis, and augmentation of both processes by EPO may result in lessened cognitive deficits. Neovascularization by EPO may prevent post-traumatic deficits in cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR), which can be measured noninvasively using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This proposal is for a randomized, placebo-controlled pilot clinical trial designed to obtain data on the effects of EPO in humans with persistent post-concussive symptoms after TBI. The primary objective is to evaluate effect of 4 week administration of recombinant erythropoietin on numbers of circulating endothelial progenitor cells in patients with persistent symptoms during the subacute period after TBI. This information will guide the design of a future definitive study.

This hypothesis-generating feasibility study compares mTBI Patients and Controls using advanced MRI Applications.

Blood samples will be drawn on traumatic brain injury patients who are participating in the ProTECT III study.

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are creating a new generation of Veterans, including an increasing number of women Veterans, who present with comorbid PTSD and chronic pain conditions from recent deployment-related physical injuries and exposure to psychological trauma. Health behavior change has become increasingly important in treating these conditions and proactively preventing long-term negative health sequelae, in order to benefit these Veterans directly and reduce the growing challenges to our healthcare system. The proposed CDA-2 program of research will use an innovative translational research approach to study whether a chronic progressive -based exercise program will reduce chronic pain in patients with PTSD and to elucidate and modify potential PTSD-related deficiencies in neurobiological and psychological responses to exercise to optimize the physical and psychological benefits of exercise for these individuals.

People who survive severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) live with profound cognitive impairments that alter their developmental course and define their future possibilities. Worldwide, TBI is the leading cause of death and disability among children and adolescents (Murgio, 2000). In the United States, the annual incidence of TBI is six times greater than that of multiple sclerosis, HIV/AIDS, spinal cord injury, and breast cancer combined [Centers for Disease Control, American Cancer Society, National Multiple Sclerosis Society]. The burden of TBI may be even greater in developing countries, due to civil unrest and war, and to the absence of mandated prevention such as seat belt laws. The long-term objective of the investigators' research group is to improve outcomes for survivors of TBI in Latin America. To that end, the investigators have created a structure for professionals and institutions involved in the treatment of TBI to generate research; to facilitate education, standardization, certification, the dissemination of information and resources; and to foster the development of evidence-based guidelines. The structure is the Latin American Brain Injury Consortium (LABIC).

This is an observational research study whose purposes are to see: if 40 Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy sessions at 1.5 atmospheres (HBOT 1.5) or more (60, or 80 HBOT's) help, worsen, or have no effect on subjects with chronic TBI/PCS (Traumatic Brain Injury/Post-Concussion Syndrome) and/or PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). if improvements or worsening of symptoms can be recorded with computerized and written tests for memory and thinking, and with questionnaires about the subject's quality of life and health. determine the long-term outcome of the treatment. confirm, in large numbers of study participants at multiple sites nationwide, the strong positive results obtained in pilot studies

The purpose of this study is to determine whether transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is effective in the treatment of suicidal thinking in individuals with a depressive episode and either posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), history of mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), or both conditions.

This pilot study proposes to examine the effect of Rozerem on sleep/wake patterns among individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) experiencing sleep disturbance, using both objective and subjective measures. It will also show that improvement in sleep/wake patterns resulting from Rozerem will impact daytime functioning using objective and subjective measures.

The aim of this study is to determine effect of proprioceptive stimulation with passive gait training on the cortical activity in patients with severe brain injury, demonstrated as changes in EEG (electroencephalogram)and ERP (Event Related Potentials). Hypotheses: 1) Proprioceptive stimulation increases EEG-frequency in patients with impaired consciousness due to severe brain injury. 2) Proprioceptive stimulation increases conductivity speed of the cognitive P300-component of ERP in patients with impaired consciousness due to severe brain injury.