Traumatic brain injuries are one of the most serious types of injury you can sustain in a motor vehicle accident, a slip or fall, or another type of accident. We are always happy to hear about brain injury recovery techniques that give hope to sufferers.
Recently, researchers at the University of Georgia Regenerative Bioscience Center used electronic stimulation to help the recovery of neuron cells grown in a petri dish.
They hope to replicate the method for people who are recovering from traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).
The breakthrough means the team from the University of Georgia is the first in the country to use a technique that has significant implications for the study and treatment of brain injuries.
Researchers successfully reproduced the effects of a TBI and stimulated the recovery of neuron cells grown in a petri dish.
The procedure was detailed in a new paper in Nature Scientific Reports. It has significant implications for the study and treatment of these serious injuries.
Neurons in the body’s central nervous system can’t repair or renew themselves, the team stated in a press release. Researchers used glutamate to record a concussion. They later reviewed the activity and influenced recovery by electrical stimulation. A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury. It can have long-term implications for the victim.
Lohitash Karumbaiah, the lead author of the team’s study, said in the press release:
“Once the neurons reach a certain level of density in the dish, you begin to see what we call synchronous activity in a very timed manner. Knowing we could recreate synchronized, brain-like activity in a dish gave us the impetus to ask, ‘What if we disrupt this rhythm, and how can we recover from something like that?’”
The electrical stimulation approach developed in Georgia could be revolutionary in the treatment of traumatic brain injuries and brain injury recovery techniques.
The team pointed out the electrical stimulation devices must be small and efficient. They believe their techniques are practical.
The techniques being developed could be beneficial for car accidents victims and war victims who experienced head trauma. Wearable devices can administer controlled levels of electrical stimulation to help patients.
As many as half of all brain injuries in Georgia and elsewhere are the result of car crashes. A TBI can occur as a result of any force that hits, penetrates or fractures the skull. These exposed areas are highly susceptible to damage during an auto accident.
Medical and academic institutions in and around Atlanta have made a major contribution to brain injury research. Recently, we noted doctors at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta were close to finding a potential blood biomarker to detect brain injuries in children.
If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury in a car accident, please call the Law Office of Michael West at (404) 913-1529.