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Brain wrapped in rubbberbands to demonstrate neuroplasticity

Does Brain Plasticity Increase After a Head Injury?

Medically reviewed by Nancy Hammond, M.D.
By James Roland for healthline.com on July 28, 2022

 
Brain plasticity, also called neuroplasticity, refers to the brain’s ability to adapt its structure and function in response to changes, such as a head injury or aging. Brain plasticity also involves the formation of new connections between neurons (brain cells).

The brain’s ability to reorganize these features after an injury affects the nature of post-injury recovery.

The severity of the injury goes a long way toward determining how the brain responds. But it’s often possible to boost brain plasticity with interventions and rehabilitation during the healing process.

What is brain plasticity?
Brain plasticity is a term that refers to the brain’s ability to restructure and reconfigure itself in response to change.

Change that can influence the brain comes in several forms. Expected changes include learning, experience, and aging. Unexpected changes include things like stroke and head injury.

Neuroplasticity has long been observed in children. It involves a process called neurogenesis, which is the formation of new neurons in the brain (and elsewhere in the nervous system).

There are two basic types of brain plasticity: structural and functional.

Structural Plasticity
Structural plasticity refers to the way the brain’s physical structure changes in response to learning.

For example, a small 2018 studyTrusted Source showed that healthy adults who participated in balance training twice a week, for 12 weeks, experienced thickening in certain areas of the brain involved in spatial orientation.

A 2016 study examined neuroplasticity in people learning to read Braille. It found that over the course of daily lessons, for 3 weeks, study participants developed increased connectivity in regions of the brain involved in processing sensations like touch.

Functional Plasticity
Functional plasticity refers to the brain’s ability to heal itself after injury. To achieve this, healthy regions of the brain adapt to take over certain functions that the damaged parts of the brain used to perform. This makes functional plasticity especially relevant for people recovering from head injuries.

A 2017 review of studies examining the role of neuroplasticity in stroke recovery found that a stroke can actually trigger neuroplasticity in certain areas. Neuroplasticity plays a role as the brain tries to resume regular functions, like speaking and controlling the movement of limbs.
 
Brain image with new wiring

Can brain plasticity help you heal after a TBI?

 
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) refers to changes in brain function or brain health caused by an external force, such as a serious blow to the head.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source reports that there were more than 220,000 TBI-related hospitalizations in 2019 and more than 64,000 TBI-related deaths the following year.

A TBI differs from a nontraumatic brain injury, also known as an acquired brain injury. Acquired brain injuries are those caused by internal factors, such as a stroke, which can damage brain tissue and affect muscle control, speech, cognition, and other functions.

When spontaneous brain plasticity doesn’t occur, it’s sometimes possible to boost neuroplasticity artificially.

 
A 2020 review of neuroplasticity therapies to treat stroke survivors suggests that approaches such as brain stimulation therapy and virtual reality might help enhance brain plasticity. It may also be possible to transfer nerves from healthy parts of the brain to injured parts.

Similarly, a 2017 review of studies on cognitive rehabilitation following TBI, suggests that memory and other thinking skills may be recovered to some degree with the help of cognitive rehabilitation. The studies showed how cognitive rehabilitation helped to modify damaged neural connections and various brain functions.

Does a brain injury increase neuroplasticity?

Because different regions of the brain are responsible for different functions, the location and severity of an injury determine which functions are affected and to what degree.

For example, certain areas of the brain are responsible for your ability to move certain parts of the body, like your left arm or your right foot.

This is where brain plasticity can help you heal after a brain injury. Just as exercise and learning can enhance brain structure and function, the body’s natural healing and recovery process after an injury can also increase neuroplasticity.

When neurons die due to injury, the brain naturally responds within a few days by developing new neural networks and recruiting various types of cells to take the place of those damaged or killed in the injury.

The extent to which neuroplasticity occurs depends on an individual’s age, the location of the injury, and other factors.

Does age matter after brain injury?

Whether it’s a brain injury or a broken wrist, being younger is always an advantage when it comes to recovery.

A 2008 studyTrusted Source of TBI survivors noted that disability scores following a TBI tended to be significantly better among younger TBI survivors compared with older individuals, even when those older survivors had less severe injuries. And the younger patients improved more in the first 5 years after the injury.

A 2019 report notes that because age affects neuroplasticity, the need for more strategies and therapies to compensate for age-related changes should be a higher priority in the face of an aging population.

Can you see brain plasticity on an MRI?

One of the most useful tools in diagnosing the impact of a TBI, stroke, or other injury or illness affecting the brain is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

An MRI can detect many changes in brain structure and function. Current technology is far from perfect, but it’s continuing to improve.

A 2021 articleTrusted Source suggests that advanced MRI techniques are helping doctors develop a more accurate picture of mild TBIs. This may help improve the treatment and understanding of mild TBIs in the future.

A newer type of MRI, called functional MRI (fMRI), can help doctors observe brain activity, not just brain structure. This may be particularly helpful in studying brain damage and recovery.

A 2017 studyTrusted Source of neuroimaging after TBI notes that fMRI can detect changes in thinking skills, emotions, and the course of neuroplasticity after an injury to the brain. The study says that fMRI is a helpful tool in assessing the damage caused by TBI and tracking brain changes during recovery.

But fMRI, the study says, will need to be accompanied by other data if it’s going to inform treatment decisions. This includes information gathered during cognitive-behavioral evaluations and other assessments.

Image Neurons reconnecting

How long does it take to heal after a TBI?

 
The time necessary to heal from a TBI can vary considerably from one person to the next. This is based mostly on the seriousness of the injury, as well as its location, the age of the individual, and that person’s overall physical and mental health.

A full recovery from a mild TBI can be expected in about 3 months. People with a moderate TBI will take longer to heal and will typically need cognitive rehabilitation, physical therapy, and other interventions.

Predicting the degree and length of recovery from a severe TBI is very difficult, and should be done on a case-by-case basis.

Takeaway

Brain plasticity after a head injury is when brain functions thought to be lost due to damage begin to be adopted by other, healthy brain tissue.

While not all functions can be reorganized or reestablished completely, the brain’s remarkable adaptability can often help people who had a stroke, traumatic brain injury, or other harmful events recover some function.

Brain plasticity can be encouraged through cognitive therapy, physical therapy, and other treatments.

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Brain image (Photo/Courtesy of USC Stevens Institute for Neuroimaging and Informatics)

Brain image (Photo/Courtesy of USC Stevens Institute for Neuroimaging and Informatics)

Researchers Create Maps of the Brain After Traumatic Brain Injury

Anne Warde, UC Irvine, June 17, 2022

 
Scientists from the University of California, Irvine have discovered that an injury to one part of the brain changes the connections between nerve cells across the entire brain.

The new research was published this week in Nature Communications.

Every year in the United States, nearly two million Americans sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Survivors can live with lifelong physical, cognitive and emotional disabilities. Currently, there are no treatments.

One of the biggest challenges for neuroscientists has been to fully understand how a TBI alters the cross-talk between different cells and brain regions.

In the new study, researchers improved upon a process called iDISCO, which uses solvents to make biological samples transparent. The process leaves behind a fully intact brain that can be illuminated with lasers and imaged in 3D with specialized microscopes.

With the enhanced brain clearing processes, the UCI team mapped neural connections throughout the entire brain. The researchers focused on connections to inhibitory neurons, because these neurons are extremely vulnerable to dying after a brain injury. The team first looked at the hippocampus, a brain region responsible for learning and memory.

Then, they investigated the prefrontal cortex, a brain region that works together with hippocampus. In both cases, the imaging showed that inhibitory neurons gain many more connections from neighboring nerve cells after TBI, but they become disconnected from the rest of the brain.

“We’ve known for a long time that the communication between different brain cells can change very dramatically after an injury,” said Robert Hunt, PhD, associate professor of anatomy and neurobiology and director of the Epilepsy Research Center at UCI School of Medicine whose lab conducted the study, “But, we haven’t been able to see what happens in the whole brain until now.”

To get a closer look at the damaged brain connections, Hunt and his team devised a technique for reversing the clearing procedure and probing the brain with traditional anatomical approaches.

The findings surprisingly showed that the long projections of distant nerve cells were still present in the damaged brain, but they no longer formed connections with inhibitory neurons.

“It looks like the entire brain is being carefully rewired to accommodate for the damage, regardless of whether there was direct injury to the region or not,” explained Alexa Tierno, a graduate student and co-first author of the study. “But different parts of the brain probably aren’t working together quite as well as they did before the injury.”

The researchers then wanted to determine if it was possible for inhibitory neurons to be reconnected with distant brain regions.

To find out, Hunt and his team transplanted new interneurons into the damaged hippocampus and mapped their connections, based on the team’s earlier research demonstrating interneuron transplantation can improve memory and stop seizures in mice with TBI.

The new neurons received appropriate connections from all over the brain. While this may mean it could be possible to entice the injured brain to repair these lost connections on its own, Hunt said learning how transplanted interneurons integrate into damaged brain circuits is essential for any future attempt to use these cells for brain repair.

One of the biggest challenges for neuroscientists has been to fully understand how a TBI alters the cross-talk between different cells and brain regions. Image is in the public domain One of the biggest challenges for neuroscientists has been to fully understand how a TBI alters the cross-talk between different cells and brain regions. Image is in the public domain

“Our study is a very important addition to our understanding of how inhibitory progenitors can one day be used therapeutically for the treatment of TBI, epilepsy or other brain disorders,” said Hunt.

“Some people have proposed interneuron transplantation might rejuvenate the brain by releasing unknown substances to boost innate regenerative capacity, but we’re finding the new neurons are really being hard wired into the brain.”

Hunt hopes to eventually develop cell therapy for people with TBI and epilepsy. The UCI team is now repeating the experiments using inhibitory neurons produced from human stem cells.

“This work takes us one step closer to a future cell-based therapy for people,” Hunt said, “Understanding the kinds of plasticity that exists after an injury will help us rebuild the injured brain with a very high degree of precision. However, it is very important that we proceed step wise toward this goal, and that takes time.”

Jan C. Frankowski, PhD; Shreya Pavani; Quincy Cao and David C. Lyon, PhD also contributed to this study.

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What Is a Neuropsych Evaluation?

By Thomas A. Crosley, Crosley Law

 
Brain injury can deeply impact how you think, make decisions, process information, and interact with others. When someone else caused your injuries, you deserve compensation for these losses.

However, it can be hard to explain or document symptoms like memory loss, poor concentration, or impulsivity. In these cases, neuropsychological testing can help you, your medical team, and your personal injury lawyer understand the full effect of your traumatic brain injury (TBI).

What Is Neuropsychology?

The field of neuropsychology studies how our brains’ health impacts our emotions and behavior. Our brain is a remarkably complex organ, made up of nerves and tissues that help us feel, think, and perform everyday tasks. When there’s neurological dysfunction due to trauma, brain tumors, and diseases like Alzheimer’s, we may experience emotional and intellectual changes. Sometimes, these changes are subtle, like minor memory problems and mental “fogginess.” Other times, neurological issues create profound personality changes, cognitive deficits, and impaired decision-making.

Different parts of the brain serve different functions. For example, the temporal lobe helps with our short-term memory, and the frontal lobe controls our memory, decision-making, and judgment. Depending on the location of your brain injury, you may exhibit different symptoms that affect your thinking, speech, vision, memory, and interpersonal relationships.

A neuropsychological evaluation measures your emotional and cognitive abilities and compares them to the average person of your age, education, and background. An evaluation will typically consider a wide variety of factors, including:

  • Cognitive and intellectual abilities
  • Short-term and long-term memory
  • Executive functioning (your ability to make decisions and interpret information)
  • Speed of processing
  • Concentration and attention
  • Persistence and pace (your ability to finish tasks)
  • Gross and fine motor skills
  • Visual-spatial skills
  • Emotional functioning
  •  
    The evaluator may also look for other possible diagnoses, including depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder. Finally, the evaluator will typically assess your performance and symptom validity; this process makes a neuropsych evaluation more objective than some other cognitive and mental assessments.

    Using Neuropsychological Testing to Assess the Impact of Brain Injury: A Case Study

    A neuropsychological report can help your doctors, lawyers, and mental health providers understand the full impact of your brain injury, which allows them to build effective treatment plans and fight to get you the compensation you deserve.

    Let’s look at a real-world example of how a neuropsych examination can help a TBI survivor’s legal claims. I represented a young man with an autism spectrum disorder who was struck by a delivery driver’s car while walking home from his job at a grocery store. During the collision, my client suffered significant brain injury, but the insurance company argued that his cognitive and memory deficits were due to his preexisting autism.

    To fight back, we consulted with his medical providers and a neuropsychologist who helped document his trauma-related symptoms and limitations. After mediation, we settled my client’s TBI claim for a significant amount.

    What Should I Expect During a Neuropsych Evaluation?

    During a neuropsychological evaluation, a team of clinicians, including a trained neuropsychologist, will give you a series of tests that assess your thinking abilities, language skills, memory, mental processing, and other abilities. You can expect to do a variety of tasks, including:

  • Answering questions about your daily routine and symptoms
  • Demonstrating your skills at reading, writing, math, and problem-solving
  • Identifying images
  • Recalling information after a time
  • Drawing pictures
  • Solving puzzles
  •  
    Some tests will be oral, while some will be written, computer-based, or task-driven. The precise tests used during your neuropsychological evaluation will vary depending on your diagnosis and other factors.

    However, not all neuropsychologists focus on brain injuries. A specialist who mainly works with dementia patients or another population might offer as detailed and insightful analysis when evaluating a TBI. If you are selecting a neuropsychologist, make sure they understand and regularly work with people with brain injury.

    How Long Does Neuropsych Testing Take?

    A neuropsych evaluation will take up to eight hours to complete. Typically, you’ll be able to take breaks as needed. If you become too tired or overwhelmed, the evaluator may split the testing over several days.

    What Happens After I Complete My Evaluation?

    Once you’ve completed your testing, the neuropsychologist will review your results, medical records, and other information to create a comprehensive report that discusses your cognitive abilities and limitations. If the neuropsych evaluation was scheduled as part of your TBI care plan, the process will include treatment recommendations and referrals to specialists, like speech therapy and counseling services.

    However, if an insurance company requested your neuropsych evaluation, it might serve a different purpose. Sometimes, “independent medical examinations,” including neuropsychological testing, are used to deny or reduce the value of a TBI survivor’s legal claims.

    For example, the insurance company may argue that your performance validity or symptom validity scores suggest you’re exaggerating symptoms. Rather than recommending treatment that will help you overcome your traumatic brain injury, the report will minimize your symptoms and suggest that you’re malingering (pretending your problems are worse than they are).

    To fight back, you’ll need to work with a personal injury lawyer who can carefully assess the evaluator’s methodology and identify issues and inconsistencies in their report. If you don’t already have an attorney, it’s a good idea to consult with a BIAA Preferred Attorney who has a documented track record of success.

    How Can I Prepare for Neuropsych Testing?

    While you can’t study for a neuropsych examination, there are some simple ways you can prepare for your appointment with the neuropsychologist:

  • Request an up-to-date list of your medications and prescriptions from your pharmacist or doctor
  • Get a good night’s sleep beforehand
  • Take your medications as prescribed
  • Eat a healthy meal before the exam
  • Dress comfortably for your day of testing
  • Wear your glasses or hearing aids, if needed
  •  
    Remember, as long as you are honest and give a good effort, you can’t “fail” a neuropsychological assessment.

    Worried About an Upcoming Neuropsych Evaluation? Consult with a BIAA Preferred Attorney

    If the insurance company schedules a neuropsych evaluation, it’s a good idea to consult with an experienced TBI lawyer. When you work with a BIAA Preferred Attorney, they can help you prepare for your examination, identify issues that may impact your legal claims, and fight back against an insurance company’s negative neuropsychological report.

    To find a TBI lawyer in your community, visit the BIAA Preferred Attorney page and click on “Narrow Your Search.” You’ll be able to filter Preferred Attorneys by their location and practice area.
     

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    Best Practices for Managing Stress and Anxiety During Times of Uncertainty

    By Gary Seale, Ph.D., Regional Director, Centre for Neuro Skills

     
    The COVID-19 outbreak has produced a great deal of uncertainty and unwelcome anxiety. It’s no wonder we feel distressed when our daily routines have been severely disrupted. Due to social distancing and business closures, most people are not able to visit their favorite restaurant, go shopping, or engage in a work-out routine at the fitness center. When you couple this with concerns about personal health, uncertainty about how long these changes will last, and information and directives that change daily, it’s no wonder that many of us feel diseased or anxious. Several credible sites have recently posted simple but effective strategies to manage stress and remain emotionally healthy during this time of uncertainty. Some of the most frequent suggestions by experts at the American Psychological Association, Forbes, the Harvard Business Review, HealthLine, and others include the following:

    Differentiate between what is within your control vs. what is not in your control. Stay focused on the things you can do. Make a list and practice these regularly, and reward yourself for these practices. For example, you can:

  • Wash your hands, cover coughs and sneezes, etc.
  • Limit exposure to news. Manage stress by reducing (or eliminating) the number of times you check in to your favorite media outlet. The American Psychological Association recommends avoiding negative news right before bedtime.
  • Take care of your health (take your vitamins, get enough sleep, hydrate, engage in a daily exercise routine, etc.).
  • Practice your preferred relaxation technique if you feel stressed, such as deep breathing, yoga, mindful meditation, etc. If you don’t have a relaxation practice, now is a great time to develop one.
  •  

    Do the things that help you feel safe, such as:

  • Practice “social distancing” and limit exposure to groups of 10 or more people.
  • Give an “elbow bump” vs. a hug or a handshake.
  • Order out and have food delivered to your home or work; shop on-line and have items delivered to your home vs. going to a store or the mall.
  •  

    Rather than worrying about something that might happen in the future, stay focused on the present; maintain proper perspective.

  • Stay present and in the moment; focus on the task at hand.
  • If you feel yourself “borrowing trouble,” bring yourself back to the present.
  • Use a mindfulness practice (savor a favorite snack or meal; closely observe a pleasing object, such as a flower, etc.). If you don’t have a mindfulness practice, now is a great time to explore/develop one.
  • Put the situation into proper perspective (for example, as of March 24th in Houston/Harris County there are about 206 confirmed/presumed cases of COVID-19 and 2 deaths from this virus. Nineteen have fully recovered. Houston/Harris County has a population of approximately 6+ million. That translates into an infection statistic of 0.003%). Additionally, we live in a time and a nation of great abundance – an abundance of intellectual horsepower (some of the best minds in infectious diseases are here in the U.S. and are working on vaccines for this virus); an abundance of resources (the government has released over a trillion dollars to support research, product development and distribution, and aid to businesses); an abundance of entrepreneurs (companies re-tooling to overproduce cleaning supplies, ventilators, etc.).
  • This situation is temporary. As with other pandemics (MARS, SARS, H1N1, Zika, etc.), this too shall pass.
  •  

    Engage in proven positive psychology practices.

  • Start a gratitude list. Of all the positive emotions, gratitude is one of the most powerful and protective (from depressive symptoms). Simply start a list of all the things you are grateful for, large and small
  • Three Good Things. At the end of the day, list 3 good things that happened during the day. Once you have your list on paper, think about how you made those good things happen and reward yourself
  • Downward comparisons. Rather than thinking or saying to yourself, “I wish I…”, think or say to yourself, “I’m glad I…” For example, “I’m glad I work in the healthcare industry. I have a stable job, and in my work, I am able to help others.”
  • Connect with something larger than yourself. In the example above, you may find yourself feeling compassion for those out of work due to COVID-19, like servers in the restaurant industry. Ordering out from your favorite local restaurant and tipping big may help keep that business open during a time when the restaurant is closed to the public. Or you may want to visit a local blood bank and give blood as most all blood donation activities at large venues, like businesses, churches, etc. have been suspended for the time being.
  •  

    Get outside and enjoy nature.

  • During this time when we are practicing “social distancing”, we may feel “cooped up” which can result in feelings of anxiety. Getting outdoors and enjoying nature can lift your mood and help with managing stress. Walking increases heart rate and respiration, which is good for brain function and overall health. Spending time in the sunlight produces vitamin D, which improves the immune response. Being in “awe” (of nature) is another, very powerful positive emotion that can lift the mood and protect against depressive symptoms.
  •  

    Stay connected and don’t be afraid to ask for help.

  • Take this time to call friends and family and catch up.
  • Talk to a trusted friend about how you are feeling and all the practices you are using to stay healthy, both physically and mentally.
  • If you are feeling particularly distressed, reach out to a counselor or other mental health practitioner.
  • Talk to your supervisor or HR representative about your particular situation and any support you might need.
  •  

    Engage in resilience practices.

  • Think about a time when you faced a challenging situation and overcame it.
  • In your home or office, post some inspirational quotes, for example: “Never, never, never give up.” – Winston Churchill; “Failure is not an option.” – Gene Kranz, NASA Flight Director; “Tough times don’t last, but tough people do.” – Robert Schuller
  • Create a “resilience library” with inspirational books, videos, etc. For example, the book, “Unbroken” by Laura Hillenbrand, or the movie, “Remember the Titans”.
  • When possible, find “positives” (i.e., lower gas prices, safer commutes to work/less drunk drivers on the road, etc.), or lessons learned from the situation.
  • Use humor as appropriate.
  • If you have one, engage in your spiritual practice.
  •  

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    ISRIB molecule—image by the Adam Frost lab at UCSF

    Drug Reverses Age-Related Mental Decline Within Days, Suggesting Lost Cognitive Ability is Not Permanent

    By Good News Network, December 27, 2020

     
    Just a few doses of an experimental drug that reboots protein production in cells can reverse age-related declines in memory and mental flexibility in mice, according to a new study by UC San Francisco scientists.

    The drug, called ISRIB, has already been shown in laboratory studies to restore memory function months after traumatic brain injury (TBI), reverse cognitive impairments in Down Syndrome, prevent noise-related hearing loss, fight certain types of prostate cancer, and even enhance cognition in healthy animals.

    In the new study, published Dec. 1 in the open-access journal eLife, researchers showed rapid restoration of youthful cognitive abilities in aged mice, accompanied by a rejuvenation of brain and immune cells that could help explain improvements in brain function—and with no side effects observed.

    “ISRIB’s extremely rapid effects show for the first time that a significant component of age-related cognitive losses may be caused by a kind of reversible physiological “blockage” rather than more permanent degradation,” said Susanna Rosi, PhD, Lewis and Ruth Cozen Chair II and professor in the departments of Neurological Surgery and of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science.

    “The data suggest that the aged brain has not permanently lost essential cognitive capacities, as was commonly assumed, but rather that these cognitive resources are still there but have been somehow blocked, trapped by a vicious cycle of cellular stress,” added Peter Walter, PhD, a professor in the UCSF Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator. “Our work with ISRIB demonstrates a way to break that cycle and restore cognitive abilities that had become walled off over time.”

    Rebooting cellular protein production holds key to aging

    Walter has won numerous scientific awards, including the Breakthrough, Lasker and Shaw prizes, for his decades-long studies of cellular stress responses. ISRIB, discovered in 2013 in Walter’s lab, works by rebooting cells’ protein production machinery after it gets throttled by one of these stress responses—a cellular quality control mechanism called the integrated stress response (ISR; ISRIB stands for ISR InhiBitor).

    The ISR normally detects problems with protein production in a cell—a potential sign of viral infection or cancer-promoting gene mutations—and responds by putting the brakes on cell’s protein-synthesis machinery. This safety mechanism is critical for weeding out misbehaving cells, but if stuck in the ‘on’ position in a tissue like the brain, it can lead to serious problems, as cells lose the ability to perform their normal activities, according to Walter and colleagues.

    In particular, their recent animal studies have implicated chronic ISR activation in the persistent cognitive and behavioral deficits seen in patients after TBI, by showing that, in mice, brief ISRIB treatment can reboot the ISR and restore normal brain function almost overnight.

    The cognitive deficits in TBI patients are often likened to premature aging, which led Rosi and Walter to wonder if the ISR could also underlie purely age-related cognitive decline. Aging is well known to compromise cellular protein production across the body, as life’s many insults pile up and stressors like chronic inflammation wear away at cells, potentially leading to widespread activation of the ISR.

    “We’ve seen how ISRIB restores cognition in animals with traumatic brain injury, which in many ways is like a sped-up version of age-related cognitive decline,” said Rosi, who is director of neurocognitive research in the UCSF Brain and Spinal Injury Center and a member of the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences. “It may seem like a crazy idea, but asking whether the drug could reverse symptoms of aging itself was just a logical next step.”

    Signature effects of aging disappeared literally overnight

    In the new study, researchers led by Rosi lab postdoc Karen Krukowski, PhD, trained aged animals to escape from a watery maze by finding a hidden platform, a task that is typically hard for older animals to learn. But animals who received small daily doses of ISRIB during the three-day training process were able to accomplish the task as well as youthful mice—and much better than animals of the same age who didn’t receive the drug.

    The researchers then tested how long this cognitive rejuvenation lasted and whether it could generalize to other cognitive skills. Several weeks after the initial ISRIB treatment, they trained the same mice to find their way out of a maze whose exit changed daily—a test of mental flexibility for aged mice who, like humans, tend to get increasingly stuck in their ways. The mice who had received brief ISRIB treatment three weeks before still performed at youthful levels, while untreated mice continued to struggle.

    To understand how ISRIB might be improving brain function, the researchers studied the activity and anatomy of cells in the hippocampus, a brain region with a key role in learning and memory, just one day after giving animals a single dose of ISRIB. They found that common signatures of neuronal aging disappeared literally overnight: neurons’ electrical activity became more sprightly and responsive to stimulation, and cells showed more robust connectivity with cells around them while also showing an ability to form stable connections with one another usually only seen in younger mice.

    The researchers are continuing to study exactly how the ISR disrupts cognition in aging and other conditions and to understand how long ISRIB’s cognitive benefits may last. Among other puzzles raised by the new findings is the discovery that ISRIB also alters the function of the immune system’s T cells, which also are prone to age-related dysfunction. The findings suggest another path by which the drug could be improving cognition in aged animals, and could have implications for diseases from Alzheimer’s to diabetes that have been linked to heightened inflammation caused by an aging immune system.

    “This was very exciting to me because we know that aging has a profound and persistent effect on T cells and that these changes can affect brain function in the hippocampus,” said Rosi. “At the moment, this is just an interesting observation, but it gives us a very exciting set of biological puzzles to solve.”

    Success shows the ‘serendipity’ of basic research

    Rosi and Walter were introduced by neuroscientist Regis Kelly, PhD, executive director of the University of California’s QB3 biotech innovation hub, following Walter’s 2013 study showing that the drug seemed to instantly enhance cognitive abilities in healthy mice. To Rosi, the results from that study implied some walled-off cognitive potential in the brain that the molecule was somehow unlocking, and she wondered if this extra cognitive boost might benefit patients with neurological damage from traumatic brain injury.

    The labs joined forces to study the question in mice, and were astounded by what they found. ISRIB didn’t just make up for some of the cognitive deficits in mice with traumatic brain injury—it erased them. “This had never been seen before,” Rosi said. “The mantra in the field was that brain damage is permanent—irreversible. How could a single treatment with a small molecule make them disappear overnight?”

    Further studies demonstrated that neurons throughout the brains of animals with traumatic brain injury are thoroughly jammed up by the ISR. Using ISRIB to release those brakes lets brain cells immediately get back to their normal business. More recently, studies in animals with very mild repetitive brain injury—akin to pro athletes who experience many mild concussions over many years—showed that ISRIB could reverse increased risk-taking behavior associated with damage to self-control circuits in the frontal cortex.

    “It’s not often that you find a drug candidate that shows so much potential and promise,” Walter says, calling it “just amazing”.

    No side effects

    One might think that interfering with the ISR, a critical cellular safety mechanism, would be sure to have serious side effects, but so far in all their studies, the researchers have observed none. This is likely due to two factors. First, it takes just a few doses of ISRIB to reset unhealthy, chronic ISR activation back to a healthier state. Second, ISRIB has virtually no effect when applied to cells actively employing the ISR in its most powerful form—against an aggressive viral infection, for example.

    ISRIB has been licensed by Calico, a South San Francisco, Calif. company exploring the biology of aging, and the idea of targeting the ISR to treat disease has been picked up by many other pharmaceutical companies, Walter says.

    “It almost seems too good to be true, but with ISRIB we seem to have hit a sweet spot for manipulating the ISR with an ideal therapeutic window,” Walter said.

    Get more links to background studies from original article from UCSF News.
     

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    Thankfulness: How Gratitude Can Help Your Health

    American Heart Association heart.org, November 10, 2020

     
    Gratitude is more than a buzzword. It’s a habit and practice that may actually change your perception of well-being.

    Are you feeling overwhelmed by the coronavirus pandemic, all the changes it has brought to your life and everything you need to worry about to stay safe?

    Or do you sometimes feel like you just can’t catch a break? You know — the truck that cut you off, the weird feedback you got from your boss, the grocery item you need but is never on the store shelf? Do you sometimes feel negative and cynical?

    Sure, we all do this a little, but doing it a lot can lead to depression1, which is linked to poor heart health, more inflammation and even a weaker immune system.2 Yikes!

    Some neuroscience experts think our brains focus on negative information as a way to remember pain so we can avoid it in the future. They call this the “negativity bias.”3

    To balance out this natural tendency, we can practice gratitude.

    “Gratitude is good medicine,” says Robert A. Emmons, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at the University of California, Davis and author of The Little Book of Gratitude.

    “Clinical trials indicate that the practice of gratitude can have dramatic and lasting effects in a person’s life. It can lower blood pressure and improve immune function. … Grateful people engage in more exercise, have better dietary behaviors, are less likely to smoke and abuse alcohol and have higher rates of medication adherence.”4

    Dang, being grateful is the gift that seriously keeps on giving, right? Who couldn’t use all these benefits right now?

    Here’s a simple way to get started:

    Write these down before you go to bed or share them around the dinner table. In five minutes, you can practice gratitude from the heart.

    1. Health: What did your body do for you today?
    Did you know you take about 8 million breaths a year? Your feet can take you up a mountain; your arms can hold someone you love. Take a minute to marvel at the finely tuned machinery of your body, and thank yourself for the steps you take every day to keep it safe and healthy.
     
    2. Eat: What did you feed your body to nourish yourself today?
    Was it an old favorite, something you made or something new and different? If you eat three meals a day, you’ll eat about a thousand meals this year! Take a minute to savor an especially yummy meal. And check out some healthy options on the AHA’s recipe hub.
     
    3. Activity: What did you do that you really enjoyed today?
    Did you give it your all when exercising today, or find a quiet moment while sitting in traffic to reflect? Take a minute to think back on one particularly awesome moment.
     
    4. Relationship: Whom do you look forward to connecting with?
    Is it someone who sets your heart on fire, always has a smile for you, has your back or makes you laugh until you cry? Take a minute to smile as you think about this special person. Then make plans for a virtual meet-up.
     
    5. Time: What are you doing right now?
    Every single day you wake up with 24 brand new hours. The past is history, the future is a mystery and today is a gift. That’s why they call it the present! Take a minute to be thankful for the gift of time, including any extra time you have right now for your family or yourself.
    Let’s do this, and be Healthy for Good!
     

    SOURCES:
    1 Journal of Cognition and Emotion,Negative processing biases predict subsequent depressive symptoms. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02699930143000554
    2 National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health, Chronic Illness & Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/chronic-illness-mental-health/index.shtml
    3 National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, Not all emotions are created equal: The negativity bias in social-emotional development https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3652533/ and Agency Attribution in Infancy: Evidence for a Negativity Bias https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4011708/.
    4 American Heart Association News, Gratitude is a healthy attitude.

     

    CLICK HERE to read the original article
     

    Free & Low-Cost Activities to Think About During Lockdown

    Written by one of our own San Diego Brain Injury Survivors, November 20, 2020

     
    This year has been challenging for everyone. Especially as we close out the year with no sign of social distancing and lockdowns going away, it seems to be getting more and more difficult to think of new things to do to keep us busy…AND safe. So, a San Diego brain injury survivor put this list together to help you with new and fun things that can still be done for little or no cost! Enjoy!!

    1. Attend free Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) online classes through San Diego Community College District’s Continuing Education Center — sdce.edu
    2. Participate in UCSD Recreation’s free online classes (exercise, lectures, etc.) — recreation.ucsd.edu
    3. Participate in the YMCA’s free online exercise classes and lectures — ymcasd.org
    4. Visit Brainline website — brainline.org
    5. Watch “Brain on Nature” podcasts — brainonnature.com
    6. Do free brain training games on Lumosity — lumosity.com
    7. Watch free online UCSD-TV programs — ucsd.tv
    8. Watch the San Diego Brain Injury Foundation’s recorded meetings on their YouTube Channel at youtube.com/theSDBIF
    9. Check the calendar of virtual events on Live Well San Diego — livewellsd.org
    10. Enroll in free online classes offered through San Diego Public Libraries — education.gale.com
    11. Participate in the online classes through the Continuing Education Center at Rancho Bernardo — cecrb.com or call (858) 487-0464
    12. “Museums from Home” activities — sandiegomuseumcouncil.org
    13. Do mindfulness/adult coloring books (sometimes available at dollar stores)
    14. Borrow materials from the library (books, DVDs, e-books, etc.) — sdcl.org and sandiego.gov
    15. Call, email, write letters and send greeting cards to family, friends, former colleagues, etc.
    16. Try some new healthy recipes — eatfresh.org
    17. Here are a few brain injury yoga lessons that you can try out from the Love Your Brain yoga You Tube Channel — Gentle Floor practice and Gentle Chair practice

     

     

    The Benefits of Smiling

    By Jennifer, spindpals.com, July 16, 2020

     
    How many times have you smiled today?  If you’re an average adult, you’ll smile 20 times today.  If you’re a really happy adult, you’ll smile 40-50 times today.  That sounds decent, until you compare it to the number of smiles a child expresses each day: 400!
     
    Why do we smile and how does it affect our brain?  Here’s the sequence of events:

  • You feel happy
  • Your brain sends a signal to cranial nerve VII, which then triggers the face’s zygomaticus major muscle (the one responsible for lifting the corners of your mouth) and the obicularis occuli muscle (the one around your eyes)
  • You smile
  • A positive feedback loop is initiated and a signal is sent back to your brain, releasing dopamine and serotonin, and reinforcing positive emotions
  •  
    Other benefits of smiling:

  • It lowers the stress hormones of cortisol and adrenaline
  • It boosts the immune system by increasing gamma interferon (a protein that fights viruses), B-cells and T-cells (the white blood cells needed to create antibodies)
  • What about fake smiles?  It turns out that fake/”social” smiling enough can actually bias your brain to thinking you are genuinely happy due to the positive feedback loop.

    —>FUN FACT:  A single smile can stimulate neurotransmitters as much as 2000 bars of chocolate, but without the sugar crash and stomach ache!
     
    When you next pass someone on the street, flash your pearly whites.  You’ll make them feel good and cheer yourself up as well.

    “Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy” ~Thich Nhat Hanh

    CLICK HERE to read the original article
     

     

    My Tech Tools for TBI

     

    By Alexander Rostron, August 25, 2020

     
    After my traumatic brain injury (TBI), I suffered from a large drop in mental capacity.  I could not remain focused for even moderate lengths of time and forgot the majority of the content that I had just consumed.  

    Not only that, whenever I attempted focused work, I was so mentally and physically tired after doing something as simple as reading that I needed to take a nap.  The limited runs of mental stamina prompted me to explore different tools and systems for assistance.

    Below are three apps I find useful:

    Notability App (iOS, Mac)

    I use Notability to write notes (handwritten and typed), take photos and record audio from class and during medical appointments.  My favorite feature is the ability to capture audio while handwriting notes and highlighting key terms with the Apple Pencil.  

    While reviewing my class notes to study for a test, I realized that the audio recorded more information than I was able to put down during the lecture.  For example, a professor gives an example of the definition they had just explained.  I was only able to write out the definition, before the professor started on a different part of the lesson.  The audio recording left me more information than my writing speed could handle.

    Google Calendar

    I use Google Calendar to track the scheduled appointments I have.  My favorite part of that utility is the option of adding details to each event, such as the address, a notification to remind me an hour before, and a space for a custom description.  Here is where I list important details about what needs to be brought and prepared for the appointment.  I have used it to track things I need to bring and do before each appointment.

    Forest Pomodoro Timer (iOS, Mac)

    I use Forest to practice the Pomodoro technique for working on tasks that take intense focus, while giving scheduled breaks for a mental recovery.  It is a timer that stops if you use your phone.  This is to practice only studying for a set amount of time, with an alert after as a reminder to physically get up from where I’m studying and take a very short break.  Studies have shown that after 25 minutes of intense mental focus, human ability to retain information gets severely diminished.  This is a tool I consistently use when I am completing a task with a lot of paperwork and takes a lot of time and mental energy, such as writing essays or personal record-keeping.

    These 3 tools act as such a critical part of my life post-TBI.  The Notability app catches all of the information that I cannot record at the time of, and helps support my memories with the tools it gives to type, write, and emphasize certain information.  The Google Calendar system helps give me a clear layout of the events in the week ahead of me and contains a place for each small and important detail.  The Forest app helps me pace myself through large blocks of work with small checkpoint breaks to ensure that I don’t drain my mental battery and a chance to reflect about what info I had just absorbed.

    These are the systems that assist me with the mental stamina and memory recall struggles specific to my traumatic brain injury. If you have tools that you would like to add to this list, I would love to hear about what you have used to support your life post-TBI. If you would like to hear more about one of these tools please let me know.  If you have any comments, questions, or feedback please feel free to reach out to me at arroston@gmail.com.

    CLICK HERE to read the original article
     

     

    Alcohol and Brain Injury

    After a TBI or Stroke the brain can become more sensitive to the effects of alcohol. This can cause cognitive problems that impact memory, mobility, and speech. It can also cause someone to feel fatigued and unwell. What can be expected after your recovery?

     

    By Fred at Spindpals.com, July 18, 2020

     

    Whether we’re on holiday abroad or enjoying the Christmas festivities, an alcoholic drink tends to not be too far from reach for many of us.

    But after a brain injury, the body’s tolerance to alcohol is greatly reduced, and many survivors find that they are no longer able to enjoy alcohol in the same way as they did before their injury. The reduced tolerance to alcohol means that many effects of brain injury are exacerbated after drinking, such as memory problems, mobility issues, speech and fatigue.

    Remember you should always discuss with your medical practitioner your particular condition to understand what the impact would be on yourself. Never take alcohol without their approval and guidance.

    AUTHOR: “It is clear that there is an uneasy relationship between alcohol and brain injury. Survivors are often faced with the challenge of balancing a desire to enjoy the social life they had before they sustained their injury with the acceptance that alcohol now affects them in a different way.”

    We asked brain injury survivors to tell us about how their relationship with alcohol has changed.

    For some, the enjoyment of drinking is simply outweighed by the effects caused.

    “I don’t drink anymore,” said Louise Fry. “I couldn’t drink to start with because of meds, but now? It just hits me too hard.”

    Janet Creamer agreed: “Drinking is now a no-no. Just one alcoholic drink does awful things to my brain. It feels like I’ve drunk way too much and I get that spaced out feeling.”

    Others, like Giles Philip Hudson, have found that being advised by doctors to no longer drink has actually been a blessing in disguise.

    AUTHOR: “After sustaining my brain injury and spending over four months in hospital, doctors advised me not to drink alcohol. During this time I found I no longer needed to drink alcohol to make me feel good or enjoy myself. I certainly don’t need the headaches it causes.”
     

    Enjoy a drink at home with family and friends

    Naturally, many people want to continue to be able to enjoy a drink every now and then, particularly at social gatherings. But what if going to the bar is too daunting a prospect?

    Home drinking is increasingly popular For some, staying in allows them to enjoy a drink without some of the challenges of being in a busy, crowded and noisy pub or bar.

    “Since my disability I do not feel comfortable going into a bar as I may find it hard to use the restrooms,” said one member of the community, “so my drinking is done in my home.”

    Patricia Nugent on Facebook agreed: “We tend to drink at home so it is easier and less stressful to moderate intake,” she said.

    If you are choosing to drink at home, it’s important you monitor your intake carefully.
    Here’s some useful advice for home drinkers:

      1. Keep track of how many units you’re consuming
      2. Use smaller glasses
      3. Use proper spirit measures to avoid inadvertently pouring yourself a double or triple measure
      4. Eat as you drink
      5. Invest in a good bottle stop to make that bottle of wine last longer

    Out and about

    For others, however, a good night out is still a must! If that’s the case, then planning ahead can be the key to the success of the evening.

    “I don’t go out much, once every two months,” said Michelle Richardson. “But it’s lovely to have some drinks and let my hair down and forget how challenging recovery is for a while.

    AUTHOR: “I do have to prepare for a night out by having an afternoon snooze.”

    If you do want to enjoy a night out on the town with friends, here are some more top tips:

      ▪ Don’t drink on an empty stomach and check your medication allows you to drink
      ▪ Make sure your friends know about your brain injury, lowered alcohol tolerance levels, and any other issues such as an intolerance to noise
      ▪ Drink water between alcoholic drinks and avoid getting into rounds

    Alcohol-free alternatives

    Of course, not drinking alcohol doesn’t mean you can’t still go out to pubs and bars.

    “My husband has been told he can’t drink alcohol,” said Amanda Hopkins. “So, as he is a real ale drinker, we made a pact to still go to country location but to just check out ‘alcohol-free’ ales and to become connoisseurs of the growing ‘alcohol-free’ ranges that are now appearing from many microbreweries.

    “It won’t be quite the same but we hope it will be a bit of fun tasting them.”

    AUTHOR: Kathy M agreed: “I sometimes have a non-alcoholic beer shandy so I feel like I am having a pint and I’ve discovered things like elderflower cordial with soda. There’s nothing wrong with ordering a fancy coffee or mocktail either.”

    Drinking alcohol after Stroke

      ▪ Drinking too much alcohol contributes to a number of risk factors for stroke, including high blood pressure.
      ▪ Alcohol can interfere with the medicine you take to reduce stroke risk.
      ▪ Your doctor can advise when it is safe for you to start drinking alcohol again and how much alcohol it is safe for you to drink.
      ▪ Healthy men and women should have no more than two standard drinks a day, and no more than four standard drinks on any one occasion.

    Alcohol and stroke risk

    Drinking too much alcohol contributes to a number of risk factors for stroke. If you have already had a stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA), you can help reduce your risk by only drinking a safe amount.

    High blood pressure is the biggest risk factor for stroke, and drinking too much raises your blood pressure. Atrial fibrillation, which is a type of irregular heartbeat, can be triggered by too much alcohol.

    Diabetes and being overweight also increase your risk of having a stroke. Both of are linked to alcohol consumption.

    Alcoholic drinks are also high in calories with little nutritional value. Reducing the amount you drink will support you to maintain a healthy weight.

    Hemorrhagic stroke and alcohol

    A hemorrhagic stroke is caused by a break in the wall of a blood vessel in the brain. If you have had a hemorrhagic stroke, you must not drink alcohol for at least three weeks after your stroke. Ask your doctor when it is safe to start drinking alcohol again.

    Drinking alcohol and your medication

    Alcohol could interfere with the medicine you take particularly, blood-thinning medicine such as Warfarin. Discuss with your doctor about whether it is safe to drink alcohol while taking any medicines.

    Consuming alcohol safely if your doctor clears you to

    The Guidelines for Alcohol Consumption gives advice about safe amounts of alcohol.

    AUTHOR: Remember, the Guidelines are for healthy people. Talk to your doctor about whether it is safe for you to drink at all, and whether the amounts in the Guidelines are safe for you.

    The Guidelines state that healthy men and women should have no more than two standard drinks on any day and if you go out, no more than four standard drinks on any one occasion.

      ▪ For spirits with 40 % ABV, a standard drink is 30 mls (1.5 fl oz)
      ▪ A 285 ml (10 fl oz) glass of 3.5% ABV beer is about 1 standard drink.
      ▪ 100 ml (3.5 fl oz) of wine or champagne is approximately one standard drink, however this varies between types. Keep in mind most glasses of wine served in restaurants and bars are more than 100 ml (3.5 fl oz).
      ▪ Always check the label on the bottle to find out how many standard drinks you are having.
      If you find you are tempted to go over your safe limits learn strategies to help you keep to them.

    Strategies to reduce your drinking

    Write down how many drinks you have to see how much and how often you drink.
    If you find that you are drinking more than is safe, try these tips:

      ▪ Drink water when you are thirsty rather than alcohol.
      ▪ Sip your drink slowly. Put down the glass after each mouthful.
      ▪ At social occasions, make every second drink a non-alcoholic beverage. Choose something like a sparkling water rather than a sugary drink.
      ▪ Try low-alcohol alternatives such as light beer.
      ▪ Opt out of ‘shouts’. Drink at your own pace. If you cannot avoid buying a round, get yourself a non-alcoholic drink.
      ▪ Avoid salty snacks such as potato chips or peanuts. These make you thirsty and more inclined to drink quickly.
      ▪ Set goals such as not drinking alone and have at least two days without alcohol each week.
      ▪ Do not drink on an empty stomach. A full stomach slows the absorption of alcohol

    Brain Injury affects different people in different ways. There is no one size fits all. For some, their relationship with alcohol will be over. For others, a moderate consumption can be tolerated. Complete your recovery and then discuss with your medical practitioner your options. Do not make any decisions without consulting them first.

    This post is shared from the Stroke Association AU and Headway UK websites
     
    CLICK HERE to read the original article
     

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