Supplements, nutrition, and alternative therapies for the treatment of traumatic brain injury

Studies using traditional treatment strategies for mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) have produced limited clinical success. Interest in treatment for mild TBI is at an all time high due to its association with the development of chronic traumatic encephalopathy and other neurodegenerative diseases, yet therapeutic options remain limited. Traditional pharmaceutical interventions have failed to transition to the clinic for the treatment of mild TBI. As such, many pre-clinical studies are now implementing non-pharmaceutical therapies for TBI. These studies have demonstrated promise, particularly those that modulate secondary injury cascades activated after injury. Because no TBI therapy has been discovered for mild injury, researchers now look to pharmaceutical supplementation in an attempt to foster success in human clinical trials. Non-traditional therapies, such as acupuncture and even music therapy are being considered to combat the neuropsychiatric symptoms of TBI. In this review, we highlight alternative approaches that have been studied in clinical and pre-clinical studies of TBI, and other related forms of neural injury. The purpose of this review is to stimulate further investigation into novel and innovative approaches that can be used to treat the mechanisms and symptoms of mild TBI

Modeling Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy: The Way Forward for Future Discovery

Despite the extensive media coverage associated with the diagnosis of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), our fundamental understanding of the disease pathophysiology remains in its infancy. Only recently have scientific laboratories and personnel begun to explore CTE pathophysiology through the use of preclinical models of neurotrauma. Some studies have shown the ability to recapitulate some aspects of CTE in rodent models, through the use of various neuropathologic, biochemical, and/or behavioral assays. Many questions related to CTE development however remain unanswered. These include the role of impact severity, the time interval between impacts, the age at which impacts occur, and the total number of impacts sustained. Other important variables such as the location of impacts, character of impacts, and effect of environment/lifestyle and genetics also warrant further study. In this work we attempt to address some of these questions by exploring work previously completed using single and repetitive injury paradigms. Despite some models producing some deficits similar to CTE symptoms, it is clear that further studies are required to understand the development of neuropathological and neurobehavioral features consistent with CTE-like features in rodents. Specifically, acute and chronic studies are needed that characterize the development of tau-based pathology

Consensus statement on concussion in sport—the 5 th international conference on concussion in sport held in Berlin, October 2016

The 2017 Concussion in Sport Group (CISG) consensus statement is designed to build on the principles outlined in the previous statements1–4 and to develop further conceptual understanding of sport-related concussion (SRC) using an expert consensus-based approach. This document is developed for physicians and healthcare providers who are involved in athlete care, whether at a recreational, elite or professional level. While agreement exists on the principal messages conveyed by this document, the authors acknowledge that the science of SRC is evolving and therefore individual management and return-to-play decisions remain in the realm of clinical judgement. This consensus document reflects the current state of knowledge and will need to be modified as new knowledge develops. It provides an overview of issues that may be of importance to healthcare providers involved in the management of SRC. This paper should be read in conjunction with the systematic reviews and methodology paper that accompany it. First and foremost, this document is intended to guide clinical practice; however, the authors feel that it can also help form the agenda for future research relevant to SRC by identifying knowledge gaps

Consensus statement on concussion in sport-the 5th international conference on concussion in sport held in Berlin, October 2016

The 2017 Concussion in Sport Group (CISG) consensus statement is designed to build on the principles outlined in the previous statements1–4 and to develop further conceptual understanding of sport-related concussion (SRC) using an expert consensus-based approach. This document is developed for physicians and healthcare providers who are involved in athlete care, whether at a recreational, elite or professional level. While agreement exists on the principal messages conveyed by this document, the authors acknowledge that the science of SRC is evolving and therefore individual management and return-to-play decisions remain in the realm of clinical judgement. This consensus document reflects the current state of knowledge and will need to be modified as new knowledge develops. It provides an overview of issues that may be of importance to healthcare providers involved in the management of SRC. This paper should be read in conjunction with the systematic reviews and methodology paper that accompany it. First and foremost, this document is intended to guide clinical practice; however, the authors feel that it can also help form the agenda for future research relevant to SRC by identifying knowledge gaps.http://bjsm.bmj.comhj2017Sports Medicin

Classification of Sport-Related Head Trauma: A Spectrum of Mild to Severe Injury

OBJECTIVE: To identify the types of injuries the human brain incurs as a result of traumatic forces applied to the cranium. In athletic events and endeavors, the full spectrum of intracranial hemorrhages in various compartments, raised intracranial pressure, and diffuse nonhemorrhagic damage may be seen. In this review, we describe these serious injuries and the more common mild traumatic brain injury in their clinical presentations and relate concussion classification to the overall picture of traumatic brain injury. METHODS: Our cumulative experience with athletic injuries, both at the catastrophic and mild traumatic brain injury levels, has led us to a management paradigm that serves to guide us in the classification and treatment of these athletes. DISCUSSION: The occurrence of intracranial injuries in sports has now been well documented. Intracranial hematomas (epidural, subdural, and parenchymal) and cerebral contusions can result from head injury. Many patients sustain a diffuse brain injury, resulting in elevated intracranial pressures, without a blood clot or mass lesion. The classification of concussion and the use of concussion guidelines are not uniform. However, the major emphases are agreed upon: the close and careful scrutiny of the athlete, an expeditious but reliable neurologic examination, and proper on-field management. Return-to-play decisions are based on many factors that affect normal functioning, both on and off the playing field. CONCLUSIONS: Sufficient knowledge now exists to allow us to carefully evaluate the injured athlete, to place him or her in the management scheme to minimize the potential for permanent cerebral dysfunction, and to know when the athlete can safely return to contact sport participation

Management of Cervical Spine Injuries in Athletes

Objective: Although the incidence of catastrophic cervical spine injury in sport has been significantly reduced over the past 3 decades, the injury warrants continued attention because of the altered quality of life that often accompanies such an injury. The purpose of our literature review was to provide athletic trainers with an understanding of the mechanisms, anatomical structures, and complications often associated with sport-related cervical spine injury. We also present the most current recommendations for management and treatment of these potentially catastrophic injuries

Pictorial essay: How co-registered BOLD fMRI and DTI data can improve diffusion tensor tractography

Diffusion tensor tractography (DTT) and blood oxygen level dependent fMRI are tools frequently used in the preoperative evaluation of patients with brain tumors. A major limitation of DTT is difficulty in obtaining a relatively complete, useful representation of a white matter tract of interest due to challenges with artificial truncation of tracts. This pictorial essay will illustrate how coregistration of fMRI and DTI can be performed in clinical practice to obtain better, more complete tractograms of the pyramidal tract and arcuate fasciculus in patients with brain tumors