NEW TREATMENT FOR CONCUSSION – MN ACCIDENT INJURY LAWYERS
A recent article in Medical News Today discusses Magnetic stimulation to reduce the impact of concussion after an injury.
Mild traumatic brain injuries can result in long-term cognitive issues. A new, low-intensity, form of magnetic stimulation could be the first effective treatment for these injuries.
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can range from mild to severe. However, each case involves a disruption in the usual functioning of the brain. Doctors tend to refer to less serious TBIs as concussions. These events are more common, often resulting for car accidents, falls, and sports injuries. Symptoms range fromheadaches, dizziness, and nausea to problems with cognitive and sleeping functions.
LASTING EFFECTS OF CONCUSSION
Of course, many people completely recover from a concussion after being injured in an accident. However, some may experience lasting effects; especially if they have had a mild TBI before. Multiple concussions can lead to memory problems and issues with concentration and balance. Unfortunately, concussions can be particularly problematic for young people, whose brains have not yet fully developed. According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report, more than 800,000 children received treatment in U.S. emergency departments for some form of TBI in one year.
Dr. Zhang and a team from the University of Saskatchewan examined the use of low-field magnetic stimulation (LFMS). This noninvasive technique is a form of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation. Researchers first used this technique to painlessly stimulate nerves and the brain in 1985. LFMS has shown particularly promising results in treating mental health conditions, according to Harvard Medical School’s McLean Hospital. Some people report immediate improvements in their mood after undergoing the therapy.
A novel form of concussion treatment
But Dr. Zhang and his fellow researchers found that stimulating certain areas of the brain also improved concussion symptoms in mice. Using a weight-drop technique, the team gave each mouse a TBI in the right hemisphere of the brain. They repeated the injury once a day for 3 days. The researchers administered LFMS to the mice in the treatment group immediately after the TBIs. This lasted 20 minutes a day for 4 days in a row.
The results showed that the mice could perform a number of cognitive and motor tests within 4 days of LFMS treatment. Tasks included finding their way through a maze, running on a wheel without falling off, and walking in a straight line. In fact, the rodents’ performance levels were almost back to normal within this time frame. The researchers also observed that regular sleep patterns resumed, suggesting that the animals’ body clocks were no longer affected by the concussions.
The investigators recorded a change in the levels of proteins that safeguard the brain frominflammation and degeneration. These, too, returned to normal after 4 days of LFMS exposure. Conversely, mice that had not received LFMS therapy could not successfully perform the same physical or neurological tasks. A longer study in rodents is next. If that provides positive results, a human trial will eventually test the effectiveness of LFMS on mild TBIs.
EXPERIENCED CONCUSSION ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS
If you sustain a concussion because of an accident that was not your fault, call us and speak with a to MN lawyer for a free consultation. The primary focus of our top attorneys is to help you receive full compensation for your concussion accident injury. This includes medical bills, wage loss, and pain and suffering. We are experienced and we get results. Our lawyers will answer your concussion accident questions and make sure your rights are protected.