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

Brain Injuries often occur fast (in milliseconds) to small places in the brain (microscopic cells).   Speed and size require specific understanding in relation to forces.  This must be important to all of us since just a moment of inattention can result in significant forces being imposed on our heads.  Think of the truck or car crash you did not see coming.  Or the fall you took.  The resulting impacts can change our brains and cause a whole constellation of symptoms and consequences.

Biomechanical forces  (the research and analysis of the mechanics of living organisms and the application of engineering principles to and from biological systems) to the head and body are predictors of brain injury.  In cases of trauma, like car, motorcycle and truck collisions, in addition to sports trauma, like hockey, football and boxing (to name a few), the amount of pressure exerted on the head and the amount of time that elapses during the application of pressure, cause microscopic changes to the structure of the brain.  Microscopic because the damage occurs at the cellular level with axons and dendrites shearing. 

This, in turn, causes metabolic changes (biochemical processes) and other changes in chemistry that result in cognitive impairments, emotional impairments and physical impairments.

Head injury expert Kim Gorgens, a neuropsychologist at the University of Denver (DU), says that most concussions deliver 95 g's to the human body upon impact.

Concussions range in significance from minor to major, but they all share one common factor — they temporarily interfere with the way your brain works. They can affect memory, judgment, reflexes, speech, balance and coordination.

Usually caused by a blow to the head, concussions don't always involve a loss of consciousness. In fact, most people who have concussions never black out. Some people have had concussions and not even realized it.

Concussions are common, particularly if you play a contact sport such as football. But every concussion, no matter how mild, injures your brain. This injury needs time and rest to heal properly. Luckily, most concussions are mild and people usually recover fully.

G-force is a unit of force equal to the force exerted by gravity. In addition, the average football player receives 103 g's when hit during a game. In comparison, the average g-force experienced by military fighter pilots is nine g's. 

Let that sink in for perspective.
 

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PET Scans Affirmed

New research has identified the memory and brain scan tests that appear to predict best whether a person with cognitive problems might develop Alzheimer's disease. The research is published in the June 30, 2010, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. (AAN)

Longevity tests are tests that examine data over time rather than at one moment in time.  The study looked at participants between the ages of 55 and 90 and were followed for an average of 1.9 years. During that time, 28 of the participants developed Alzheimer's disease.

People who showed abnormal results on both PET scans (positron emission tomography) and episodic memory tests were nearly 12 times more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than those who scored normally on both measures.

Thin people statistically face higher risks of dementia

Researchers at Milan University examined a total of 245 patients averaging 74 years old who had been suffering from mild cognitive impairment for approximately two-and-a-half years. The mental capabilities of about half the patients remained stable during that period. About two thirds of those whose condition had deteriorated developed Alzheimer's Disease. The remaining third developed another form of dementia. Those whose cognitive disturbance deteriorated had a significantly lower BMI (mean value of 23.81) than those whose condition had remained unchanged (BMI mean of 25.47). Especially significant was the elevated risk of deterioration among those patients with a BMI of 23 or under. 

Illustration of patient inside scanner
 

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The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) spokesperson reports that there are some ways to help prevent low back pain and protect your spine. Prevention tips from the AANS:

- Maintain a healthy body weight.

-  If you smoke, quit. Smoking and extra weight can not only damage the spine, but are factors that can negatively impact spine surgery.

- Maintain proper posture while sitting, standing and walking.

- Use proper lifting techniques to avoid injury. Bend your knees when picking up and lowering the object, keep a straight back, and do not twist. Do not lift heavy objects that are beyond your strength ability.

- Make sure your mattress and bed pillow support your neck and back.

- Do exercises that stretch and strengthen the muscles of your abdomen and spine. Strong back and abdominal muscles can help you maintain good posture and keep your spine in its correct position.

- If you suffer from persistent, chronic, or recurring back pain, consult your doctor. In most cases there is a conservative, nonsurgical treatment that can resolve the pain. However, if left untreated or allowed to progress, back pain may lead to serious and severe disability. 

The Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine recommends an excercise machine designed specifically for back muscles as a solution.  Such exercises can only help reduce pain and disabilities caused by back pain. He recommends those who suffer severe hurt begin with stretches on the ground with low to medium effort.
 

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Whiplash, or WAD (whiplash-associated disorders) refers to a series of neck injuries caused by or related to a sudden distortion of the neck - hyperextension (over-extension) injury to the neck. In many cases whiplash is the result of being struck from behind, for example, by a fast moving vehicle in an automobile accident.
 

Most people associate whiplash with one vehicle being hit in the rear by another vehicle - the driver in front sustains the whiplash. However, the impact can come from any direction and the head may move backwards or sideways, not only forwards initially. Whiplash injury may also be sustained in various ways, such as from falling off a bicycle or a horse.

 What are the symptoms of a whiplash injury?

A symptom is something the patient feels and reports, while a sign is something other people, such as the doctor detect. For example, pain may be a symptom while a rash may be a sign.

A whiplash injury typically takes from 12 to 24 hours after the accident or blow to develop. At the time of the incident any swelling or bruising to the neck muscles will not be apparent straight away. In most cases the discomfort, pain and stiffness is much worse on the following day, and may continue to worsen as each day goes by. A person with a whiplash injury may experience:

• A loss (or reduction) of movement in the neck
• Headaches
• Neck pain
• Neck stiffness
• The back of the neck feels tender
   
• The following signs and symptoms are also possible: 
   
• Lower back pain
• Pain in the arms and hands
• Numbness or pins and needles in the arms and hands
• Muscle spasms
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Swallowing difficulties
• Vision problems (vision may be blurred)
• A feeling that you are moving or spinning (vertigo)
• Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
• Sleep disturbances
   
• The following less common signs and symptoms are also possible: 
   
• Irritability
• Memory loss
• Poor concentration

Headaches, dizziness, problems swallowing and vision problems should not last long. If they do, tell your doctor.  These could be signs, symtoms and consequences of other injury.

Be aware that certain symptoms of whiplash are also symptoms of Brain injury. A severe whiplash injury, think of shaken baby syndrome, can result in damage to the brain.  Shaken baby syndrome  is a form of child abuse. It refers to brain injury that happens to the child. It occurs when someone shakes a baby or slams or throws a baby against an object. A child could be shaken by the arms, legs, chest, or shoulders.

A coup-contrecoup injury, for example, is common in the hyperflexion/hyperextension process. 

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Dr. Elizabeth Zelinski of the University of Southern California is making a presentation today at the annual meeting of the Gerontological Society of America.  She is revealing initial data from the Improvement in Memory with Plasticity-based Adaptive Cognitive Training study (IMPACT).  This study is the largest  for aging and cognitive training.

The right kind of brain exercise enhances memory and other cognitive abilities of older adults.  To read the entire article click here.

The website Posit Science: Your Brain will Thank You is a great resource to improve you cognitive ability.  The Brain Fitness Program is a series of computer-based exercises that are scientifically proven to improve important brain functions.

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Leading neuroscientists and practitioners debunk common myths related to health and fitness of the brain in a new whitepaper from SharpBrains, Inc. The 11 experts help illuminate the growing research on the role of "brain exercise" for brain fitness, one of the promising areas being discussed this week during the 37th annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in San Diego.

Health and Medicine-related myths

- Myth 1: It's all in our genes. Reality: A big component of our lifelong brain health and development depends on what we do with our brains. Our own actions, not only our genes, influence our lives to a large extent.

- Myth 2: The field of Brain Fitness is too new to be credible. Reality: The field rests on solid foundations dating back more than a decade - what is new is the number and range of tools that are now starting to be available for healthy individuals.

- Myth 3: Medication is and will remain the only evidence-based intervention for problems such as ADD/ ADHD for many years to come. Reality: Cognitive training programs are starting to show value as complements to drug-based interventions.

Education-related myths

- Myth 4: We need to buy expensive computer-based programs to improve our brains. Reality: Every time we learn a new skill, concept or fact, we change the physical composition of our brains. Lifelong learning means lifelong neuroplasticity.

- Myth 5: Schools should just focus on basic skills like Reading and Math. Reality: "Mental muscles," such as working memory, are fundamental to academic performance and are currently overlooked by the school system.

Corporate Training myths

- Myth 6: On-the-job training is the only way to train one's mind. Reality: Computer-based programs can be more effective at developing specific "mental muscles."

- Myth 7: Brain exercise is only for seniors. And, only about memory. Reality: People of all ages can benefit from a variety of regular brain exercises. For active professionals, managing stress and emotions is often a good first step.

- Myth 8: This all sounds too soft to be of real value to business people. Reality: There is nothing soft about the hard science-based training of specific cognitive and emotional skills.

Gaming-related myths

- Myth 9: Videogames are always a waste of time. Reality: Scientifically designed, computer-based programs can be a good vehicle for training specific skills. For example, it has been shown that short term memory can be expanded by such programs.

- Myth 10: This means kids will spend more time playing videogames. Reality: In Japan - the world's earliest adopter of brain-related videogames - overall home videogame sales have declined, with children playing less over time. Interestingly, adults in Japan have started to play brain-related videogames more. 

 For more information about health and fitness and the brain, visit www.SharpBrains.com.

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