Brain Injury Law Blog : Head Injury : Coma : Personal Injury : Las Vegas Nevada Lawyer & Attorney Tim Titolo

Lou Ruvo Brain Center - Working Together to Fight Alzheimer’s

This month I continue covering the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. Recall last month a new Director was appointed. This month the Center is emphasizing its progress and plans for future progress.

Some perspective: There are 5.3 million Americans with Alzheimer’s disease (including 29,000 Nevadans). This number is estimated to reach 16 million by 2050. September 21 is World Alzheimer's Day – a day when the Alzheimer's Association joins with organizations and people around the globe to raise awareness about Alzheimer's and its impact on our families, communities and nations. Today, 35 million people worldwide are affected by Alzheimer's and related dementias, and this number is growing rapidly. World Alzheimer's Day is an opportunity to raise awareness about Alzheimer's disease and the need for more education, support and research.

The Lou Ruvo Center, located in downtown Las Vegas is consistently performing clinical studies and reaches out to all volunteers to help. Education is the goal, Jeffrey Cummings, a medical director at Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health explains, “Patients must participate in trials if there is to be any progress in developing new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. Trials are critically important partnerships among patients and families, doctors and scientists to advance new treatments for the Alzheimer’s disease.” Las Vegas Sun Sept. 19, 2010.

The Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health has been in various stages of opening as construction was completed and is now fully operational. World Alzheimer’s day is September 21 and The Center announces it has great plans and hopes for finding a cure. And of course this gives Las Vegas some notoriety in the field of medicine – something most would agree is sorely needed.

First, While most previous drugs have failed, the drugs being tested today are based on years old science (it takes 7 to 10 years for a drug to be approved by the FDA) Since we now have a better understanding of which proteins damage the brain (build up of a toxic peptide called beta amyloid) we can be more focused. (See my post on July 15, 2009.)

Second, newer and better brain imaging technology and spinal fluid tests significantly affect drug development. This is revolutionizing the way we think about Alzheimer’s disease. These new imaging techniques give researchers a clearer picture of those likely to develop Alzheimer’s later in life at an earlier age.

Third, early diagnosis is a major goal. Since we are able to detect disease onset sooner, a patient may still make crucial decisions regarding care and more while their faculties are still more or less intact.   Participation in health care and other life decisions prior to intellectual decline is an important aspect of any patient’s care.

If you are interested in participating in clinical trials contact Cleveland Clinic’s Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health by clicking here.

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Timothy R. Titolo resides in Las Vegas. His practice is exclusively personal injury cases. He holds specific interest in cases involving traumatic brain injury (TBI), spine and spinal cord injury (SCI) and auto, motorcycle and truck accidents. He is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.

Because of his experience handling brain, spine and other  injury cases, Tim has been invited to lecture at over 50 attorney & medical conferences around the country. He has lectured for:

American Association of Justice
North American Brain Injury Society
Brain Injury Association of America
International Brain Injury Association
National Business Institute
Pacific Northwest Brain Injury Association
Oregon Brain Injury Association
Washington Brain Injury Association
Los Angeles County Bar Association
Utah Trial Lawyers Assocation
Utah Brain Injury Association
Nevada Brain Injury Association
Michigan Brain Injury Association
other brain injury affiliated groups
Tim Is a Fellow with AAJ's National College of Advocacy and is recognized for completion of the Advanced Studies of Trial Advocacy Program.
 

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One question that I always ask a defending neurologist or neuropsychologist is whether a person is walking and talking after a brain injury automatically rules out the presence of brain injury.  They invariably say no and the recent Nataha Richardson case illustrates the fact.

JESSICA LEEDER  states that Condition masks severity of brain injury, prompting victims, such as Natasha Richardson, to refuse medical treatment, experts say

Natasha Richardson's fatal descent began when she suffered a rare bout of "talk and die syndrome" after falling on a Quebec ski hill with limited access to head-trauma specialists.

Brain-injury experts say victims of the infrequent syndrome, which masks head injuries, are often conscious after hitting their heads and lucid enough to deem themselves unhurt, as Ms. Richardson did this week, laughing off her tumble on a beginners hill at Mont Tremblant and declining an ambulance. Victims can appear healthy even though they require medical attention and, in some cases, are on the brink of death.

"You can't drag them screaming to the hospital," said Charles Tator, a University of Toronto neurosurgeon who emphasized that talk and die syndrome is an infrequent occurrence in brain-injury cases. Still, he said: "Every health-care professional, paramedic and ski patroller knows about this phenomenon. That's why you never allow a head-injured person to be alone."

Mont Tremblant employees told The Globe and Mail they monitored the actress after she returned to her hotel after the fall and summoned an ambulance when her condition began to deteriorate.

An autopsy revealed yesterday that Ms. Richardson sustained a brain-killing clot called an epidural hematoma. Although severe, epidural hematomas can be difficult to detect at the outset.

"I have had the privilege of saving many lives during my career in just this situation, where somebody bangs their head, has a lucid interval, has a blood clot, and is brought immediately for attention," said Dr. Tator, who is also the founder of ThinkFirst, a non-profit organization for the prevention of brain injury.

As the circumstances around Ms. Richardson's death have become more clear, they have prompted much hand-wringing at resorts, where officials feel there are limits to the amount of safety precautions and medical attention they can compel guests to accept.

"It gets to be a difficult call, particularly when the guest insists that they go home ... and don't take us up on the offer to see someone," said Brian Leighton, safety manager at the Whistler Blackcomb resort in British Columbia. "If the patients are conscious and able to make these decisions on their own, we can't force them onto a spine board or into an ambulance."

In the absence of legal regulations requiring skiers to wear helmets - resorts can suggest guests wear protective headgear but cannot ban adults who refuse - head injuries are difficult to prevent.

"People fall down on ski hills all the time," said Doug Firby, a spokesman for Sunshine Village Ski and Snowboard Resort in Banff, Alta. "Some of them bang their heads. I can't imagine a scenario in which you could actually force all those people to go to hospital."

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Timothy R. Titolo resides in Las Vegas, Nevada.  He represents plaintiffs in personal injury cases.  His specific interest is in cases involving traumatic brain injury (TBI), spinal cord injury (SCI) (including back and neck injury) and car, motorcycle and truck accidents.  

Tim is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.  He serves on the Board of Directors of the American Association of Justice Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group.  He is an active member of AAJ's Interstate Trucking Litigation Group, Motorcycle Litigation Group and Inadequate Security Litigation Group.  Tim is recognized as a Fellow of the National College of Advocacy.

Because of his experience handling brain, spine and other catastrophic injury cases, Tim has been invited to lecture at over 50 legal & medical conferences around the country.  He has lectured for:

• American Association of Justice
• Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group, AAJ
• Interstate Trucking Litigation Group, AAJ
• North American Brain Injury Society
• Brain Injury Association of America
• International Brain Injury Association
• National Business Institute
• Pacific Northwest Brain Injury Association
• Oregon Brain Injury Association
• Washington Brain Injury Association
• Los Angeles County Bar Association
• Utah Trial Lawyers Assocation
• Utah Brain Injury Association
• Nevada Brain Injury Association
• Michigan Brain Injury Association
• other brain injury affiliated groups

When not practicing law, Tim enjoys spending time with his family, reading, writing, watching movies, traveling and exercising.

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