Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of ongoing disability worldwide. It occurs when an external forces traumatically injure the brain, leading to structural damage, related functional changes, and neurological deficits.

The severity of TBI can range from mild, moderate, to severe, with symptoms ranging from headaches, dizziness, and confusion to seizures, paralysis, and coma. But let’s be clear, even a “mild” traumatic brain injury can be associated with disabling symptoms. Unfortunately, there has been no cure for TBI, and the available treatments focus on supportive care and symptom management. It was traditionally taught that there may be improvements for 12-18 months after brain injury through various types of retraining and therapy, through a process called “plasticity,” where under-used parts of the brain can take up duties of injured parts.  However, recent advances in regenerative medicine have sparked excitement in the use of exosomes and stem cells as a potential assistive approach to address the lingering and previously considered permanent effects of TBI.