Researchers at the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation analysed data generated between 2010 and 2013 at 66 emergency centres in the US. Collectively, the data represented an estimated 4.1 million non-fatal traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) in children and adolescents. Around one in four TBIs among children aged one and under was caused by the infant falling from their bed, while 14 per cent were caused by trips or falls on the floor itself. Meanwhile, older children more often suffered injuries outside, with American football and basketball among the major causes of TBI in adolescents. The study follows on from a report by the US Centre for Disease Controls in 2018 which found that approximately one million infants and adolescents suffer TBIs per year in the US.

A study, by the University of Saskatchewan in Canada, found that children with severe epilepsy also experienced improvements in their quality of life after taking low doses of the medicinal cannabis oil. Researchers tested the effects of medicinal cannabis oil with 95 per cent CBD, which does not create a high, and 5 percent THC, the substance which can be intoxicating in large enough doses.  Studying an evidence-based scientifically guided dosage regimen, the research team found no evidence of THC intoxication when using CBD-enriched whole plant extracts. 

Research published by American Academy of Neurology shows that elevated levels of certain biomarkers can help to predict concussion recovery times. Researchers matched 41 high school and college American footballers, who experienced concussion during a full season, with 43 players of the same age and ability who did not. None of the players fell out of consciousness with their concussions. All of the participants had blood tests at the beginning of the season. Those with concussion had blood tests within six hours of the injury, then again 24 to 48 hours later – and also eight, 15 and 45 days later. Those who did not have concussion had tests at similar times for comparison.

They are also three times more likely to be asked to move funds into or from their bank accounts by a third party – and less protective of their personal data. A study, commissioned by think-tank Demos and fraud prevention group Cifas, has analysed fraud risk associated with capacity-limiting conditions, including brain injury. It shows that people with cognitive impairments are three times more likely to receive requests to move money through their accounts versus healthy respondents.

According to a study, having higher pre-injury intelligence and being younger can improve cognitive recovery two to five years after a mild to severe TBI. The study, featuring healthy and TBI-affected sample groups, saw participants subjected to four intelligence tests: The National Adult Reading Test (NART), Digit Symbol Coding Task (DSCT), Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) and Trail Making Test (TMT). Of the TBI survivors, those who were younger, had a shorter period of post-traumatic amnesia and a higher premorbid IQ all performed relatively strongly.

It is believed the drug – usually used to treat [...]