Bioengineers on the brink of breaching blood-brain barrier

Imagine the brain as an air traffic control tower, overseeing the crucial and complex operations of the body's "airport." This tower, essential for coordinating the ceaseless flow of neurological signals, is guarded by a ...

A peptide that can cross the blood-brain barrier

In a paper published in Science China Materials, a research team reports on a novel tetrapeptide, GFFY, which is capable of efficiently crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The tetrapeptide is highly versatile in covalent ...

New method to study cellular behavior using smart materials

Scientists from 4D-BIOMAP, an ERC research project at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M), have developed a new experimental method, based on magneto-active polymers, to study cellular behavior. These compounds, which ...

Multiframe imaging of micron and nanoscale bubble dynamics

The formation and collapse of microscopic bubbles is important in a wide range of fields as both a potential mechanism behind tissue damage, such as in cases of blast-wave-induced traumatic brain injury, and as a useful tool ...

Laminitis insights show promise for the future of treatment

Horse owners usually dread hearing the diagnosis of laminitis. The disease plagues horses of many backgrounds, ages, and disciplines. Now, using genetics, scientists from Penn's School of Veterinary Medicine and the University ...

Establishing a link between air pollution and dementia

More people around the world are falling ill and dying from dementia than they used to. Between 2000 and 2019, the rate of dementia increased by 86%, while deaths from the cognitive disorder more than doubled. Longer life ...

Oleoyl-LPE exerts neurite stimulation and neuroprotection

Lysophospholipids are phospholipids that have just one fatty acid chain, and in recent years, the role of lysophospholipids in physiology and pathophysiology has attracted attention. Lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE) is ...

Concerns over police head injuries

Head injuries may be worryingly common among police officers, according to a new pilot study led by the University of Exeter.

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Traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI, also called intracranial injury) occurs when an outside force traumatically injures the brain. TBI can be classified based on severity, mechanism (closed or penetrating head injury), or other features (e.g. occurring in a specific location or over a widespread area). Head injury usually refers to TBI, but is a broader category because it can involve damage to structures other than the brain, such as the scalp and skull.

TBI is a major cause of death and disability worldwide, especially in children and young adults. Causes include falls, vehicle accidents, and violence. Prevention measures include use of technology to protect those who are in accidents, such as seat belts and sports or motorcycle helmets, as well as efforts to reduce the number of accidents, such as safety education programs and enforcement of traffic laws.

Brain trauma can be caused by a direct impact or by acceleration alone. In addition to the damage caused at the moment of injury, brain trauma causes secondary injury, a variety of events that take place in the minutes and days following the injury. These processes, which include alterations in cerebral blood flow and the pressure within the skull, contribute substantially to the damage from the initial injury.

TBI can cause a host of physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral effects, and outcome can range from complete recovery to permanent disability or death. The 20th century has seen critical developments in diagnosis and treatment which have decreased death rates and improved outcome. These include imaging techniques such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Depending on the injury, treatment required may be minimal or may include interventions such as medications and emergency surgery. Physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy may be employed for rehabilitation.

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