UCLA researchers ’ finding holds promise for treating children after brain injuries

UCLA Health A new biological marker may help doctors identify children at risk of poor outcomes after a traumatic brain injury, UCLA scientists report in a preliminary study.The discovery,published  in the online issue of the medical journalNeurology, will allow researchers to zero in on ways to prevent progressive cognitive decline seen in roughly half of children with moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries.“It’s really very hopeful. It means there’s something we can do about this,” said Robert Asarnow, the study’s senior author and the Della Martin Professor of Psychiatry in the UCLA Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences. “If we understand which kids are showing this neurodeg eneration and why, then it’s possible to start using existing treatments to forestall this process or identify new ones to forestall this process.”The study involved 21 children with moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries who were treated in hospital intensive care units in Los Angeles County. Causes of injuries included auto-pedestrian accidents, motor vehicle accidents, and falls from bikes, scooters and skateboards. The children, ages eight to 18, were assessed twice — two to five months after injury, and again at 13 to 19 months post-injury. The results were compared with children of the same age who had not had a brain injury.Traumatic brain injury is the leading cause of disability and death in children and adolescents in the United States, according to...
Source: UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences - Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news