Preventing brain injury

A study of athletes across seven sports has challenged an 85-year-old theory about concussion, finding that straight-line head acceleration predicted the injury better than rotation. The findings contradict the theory that head rotation is the main cause of concussion and suggest that helmet safety standards may underestimate the risks associated with straight-line impacts. [...]

A 5 per cent weight loss in middle age was linked to better cardiovascular health later in life, potentially reducing stroke risk, a UK study suggests. Researchers found that overweight adults who lost a modest amount of weight in their 40s and 50s had similar heart and metabolic health in later life to people who [...]

The Pentagon is seeking new standards to assess blast-related brain injuries and other causes of mild traumatic brain injury among US military personnel. The initiative aims to establish benchmarks for measuring the physiological and biomechanical effects of blast exposure, including explosions involving enemy munitions and pressure waves produced when personnel fire their own weapons. The [...]

Mild traumatic brain injury was linked to higher musculoskeletal injury risk among US service members, a study found. Researchers analysed 26,784 active-duty service members, including 13,392 who had experienced mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and 13,392 matched controls without mTBI. The hazard of a subsequent musculoskeletal injury was 2.24 times as high among those with [...]

Lower cognitive test scores in adults aged 60 to 69 were linked to a higher future stroke risk in a Swedish study of nearly 5,000 people. The study compared performance on tests of thinking ability, memory and information-processing speed with subsequent stroke risk. Lower thinking ability scores were associated with an 86 per cent higher [...]

Six Flags Magic Mountain has permanently closed X2 amid lawsuits alleging riders suffered severe brain injuries on the California rollercoaster. The theme park said it had decided to retire the ride after nearly 20 years. X2 had been closed since July 12 after two riders suffered life-threatening brain injuries less than a week apart. [...]

Greater variation in blood pressure readings over time was associated with a higher risk of death and, for some measures, stroke, according to a study of more than 57,000 people. The findings were observational, meaning they show associations but do not establish that fluctuations in blood pressure directly cause stroke or death.   [...]

A postbiotic given before traumatic brain injury reduced brain damage and improved cognitive performance in mice, a study suggests. Postbiotics are substances produced when gut bacteria digest food. The findings raise the possibility that they could be investigated as a preventive treatment for people at risk of head trauma. The research focused on indole-3-propionic acid, [...]

TBI prevention may depend as much on roads, emergency access and local risks as hospital care, a global study suggests. Researchers examining traumatic brain injury across 29 countries found motor vehicle crashes were the largest single cause globally, although patterns varied substantially between countries. In wealthier countries, for example, ground-level falls accounted for high rates [...]

Targeted blood pressure control may reduce repeat stroke risk after intracerebral haemorrhage, a meta-analysis of nearly 3,000 patients suggests. Intracerebral haemorrhage, or ICH, is a type of haemorrhagic stroke caused by bleeding within the brain. Patients receiving intensive blood pressure-lowering treatment had a 38 per cent lower risk of recurrent stroke than those receiving less [...]