Concussion in sports: new innovations poised to transform the landscape
There is a critical need for more reliable methods to identify concussions quickly and ensure players' safety. Concussions, medically known as mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBIs), are one of the enduring challenges in the realm of contact sports. These injuries result from the forceful impact of a blow, bump, or jolt to the head or body, prompting the brain to move rapidly inside the skull and disrupting its normal functioning. The statistics surrounding sports-related concussions in the United States underscore the urgency of addressing this issue. An estimated 1.6 to 3.8 million sports and recreation-related concussions occur annually in the country. A significant portion of these cases involves children and youth aged 5-18, contributing to approximately 2.4 million sports-related emergency department visits every year. Concussions account for 6 per cent of these visits.
The magnificent seven Parkinson’s innovation projects
Over recent months, significant Parkinson's breakthroughs have emerged, offering renewed hope to millions of people living with the condition worldwide.
Recent scientific strides could transform the landscape of Parkinson's research, promising fresh insights, refined diagnostics and innovative therapies. Here NR Times presents a compilation of these groundbreaking discoveries, each contributing to the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson's disease.
Research update: Meet the spinal cord injury pioneers
NR Times updates on the latest breakthroughs in spinal cord injury treatments and approaches.
According to the World Health Organisation, between 250,000 and 500,000 people suffer from spinal cord injury every year; the majority are due to preventable causes such as road traffic crashes, falls or violence. For most patients, SCI results in permanent disability and there is no known way to reverse damage to the spinal cord. However, researchers are continually working on new treatments, including prostheses, wearables and medications, which may promote regeneration of nerve cells or improve the function of the nerves that remain after an SCI. In recent months, developments in electrical spinal stimulation, AI-enabled tech, orally available drugs and gene therapy are offering a vision of a future with better treatments for patients suffering from spinal cord injury.
Women face heightened post-brain injury depression risk
Women are almost 50 per cent more likely to experience depression after a traumatic brain injury or concussion, new data suggests.
Researchers have analysed nine previous studies – involving a combined study population of nearly 700,000.
Meet the MS game-changers
NR Times reports on seven innovative projects changing the outlook for multiple sclerosis.
MS is a complex and unpredictable autoimmune disease of the central nervous system, affecting millions of people worldwide. The condition was previously deemed untreatable but over the last 20 years huge strides have been made in understanding MS, its causes and potential treatments. In recent months, ongoing efforts continue to deepen our comprehension of the condition, from EBV vaccine breakthroughs to the discovery of genetic variants responsible for speeding up MS progression.
WHO calls for urgent action on addressing neurological disorders
World Health Organisation presents international blueprint which it hopes will impact on the lives of people with neurological disorders.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called for urgent action from governments and healthcare organisations around the world to help address and better manage neurological conditions.
Stroke could cause nearly 10 million deaths annually by 2050, report warns
Epidemiological analysis projects stroke deaths will increase from 6.6 million [...]
Analysis: The tipping point for neurofeedback devices?
Neurofeedback has been used since the 1960s, becoming a mainstay in the world of alternative medicine but 50 years on, the method is yet to be accepted by mainstream science. Now, tech companies are bringing the divisive brain training method into the home. Earlier this year at the 2023 Health Optimisation Summit, a Canadian tech company unveiled a device that it says can optimise the brain and help you control your state of consciousness. The technology is underpinned by the concept of neurofeedback, a non-invasive method for consciously training and controlling brainwaves. Recordings of brain activity – or electroencephalograms (EEG) – are fed back to users in visual or auditory form. Its efficacy is disputed by scientists but throughout its history, the alternative therapy has retained a strong group of advocates. Sens.ai, is led by CEO, Paola Telfer, a tech entrepreneur and electrical engineer whose interest in brain optimisation stems from an injury that led her to a “low point” in her life.
Interview: Could groundbreaking new drug regenerate nerves?
NR Times hears from NervGen about its groundbreaking new drug that could enable the body to regenerate nerves.
