MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — A 5-year study of patients with severe traumatic brain injury conducted at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis shows significant benefit of hyperbaric oxygen therapy to improve brain metabolism and its ability to recover from injury. The results were recently published in the Journal of Neurosurgery.

Every year, more than 1.4 million Americans sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) – the leading cause of death and disability in children and young adults. Those who survive often face months or even years of therapy, and sometimes the damage to the brain is irreversible. Decreased utilization of oxygenated blood to brain tissue immediately after the injury is often to blame.

Continue reading: Hyperbaric Oxygen Study Shows Potential Benefit for Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury.

UK Workshop Announcement:
The International Academy of Applied Neuropsychology is pleased to announce a one day CE workshop Performance Validity and Test Validity in Neuropsychological Assessment to be held in London on Friday 10th September 2010.

The workshop, presented by Glenn Larrabee, author of Assessment of Malingered Neurocognitive Deficits will focus on the issue of performance validity and test validity in the context of underlying neurological disease and neurobehavioural prediction. The afternoon session focuses on the development of an ability-focussed neuropsychological battery for assessing performance validity.

Further details of the workshop (pdf)
For registration information, click on the International Academy of Applied Psychology link at: www.koenigundmueller.de

Best wishes,
Gerhard Müller and Team
Dipl.-Psych.
International Academy of Applied Neuropsychology
Semmelstr. 36/38
D-97070 Würzburg
Tel: +49 931 46079033
Fax: +49 931 46079034
http://www.koenigundmueller.de

Bonnie Snaith, the mother of one of ARBI’s Outreach clients in Cold Lake will be interviewed on CBC tomorrow morning. The CBC is doing a story regarding individuals in the minimal conscious state and Bonnie will be interviewed live at 8:30 tomorrow morning on CBC the Current. Dr. Adrien Owen, a neurologist from England will be interviewed first regarding his research on the minimal conscious state.

If unable to listen to the interview live, just google The Current after noon tomorrow and it should be available.

Mary Anne Ostapovitch BSc. PT
Program Director
Direct: 403-217-2493
Main: 403-242-7116
Fax: 403-242-7478
Email: mao@arbi.ca

www.arbi.ca

In this Issue:

• Protect Your Noggin
• The First Person Project
• Message from the Editor, Barb Butler
• Best wishes from the Board of Directors & staff of the Brain Injury Association of Canada for 2010
• BIAC National Bursary Program 2010
• From the Executive Director, Harry Zarins
• Saskatchewan Brain Injury Association Recognizes Volunteers at the Legislative Building
• Newfoundland & Labrador News
• Nova Scotia plans for the future
• Maintaining Connections: a case for cortical and cultural health
• Hyperbaric Oxygen (HBOT): The Final Frontier?
• Ministers, Doctors, Nurse and Survivor headline Toronto Odyssey
• Edmonton HOO
• Request to the Community to Assist in a Documentary television Production
• Concussion’ underplays severity of injury
• Quebec News
• Both sides of the Story…A Mother’s Perspective

Impact – Pathways Ahead, Our February 2010 Newsletter (pdf)

2010 BC Injury Prevention Conference – Nov. 8 & 9, 2010

Chris was very badly injured in a car accident on November 3, 2007. This site I hope will keep track and update all progress until we have Chris back to where he can update you himself. Thank you for your prayers and well wishes. Kevin

Dr. Chris Bigelow’s Profile
Dr. Chris Bigelow’s Blog

Feb 9/2010

Dear Editor,
With much interest, I read this argument. (see article)

That terrible tragedy at Calobogie Peaks Resort will certainly spark discussion and debate about wearing a helmet when skiing. Without question, the answer is yes! A Norwegian study published in February 2006 in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that using a helmet was associated with a 60 percent reduction in the risk of head injury. Blows to the head are among the most devastating and lethal types of injury. Although head injuries are quite rare, an estimated 60 percent of skiing fatalities involve a head injury. Even if it is not fatal, such an injury can have life long consequences.
Read the rest of this entry »

By Jon Heshka, Ottawa Citizen Special February 9, 2010

The highly publicized death of actress Natasha Richardson in 2009 after she fell while taking a lesson on a beginner’s slope at Mont Tremblant Ski Resort in Quebec put the ski helmet issue back into the spotlight. That she was not wearing a helmet triggered a national debate about legislating standards and making helmet use mandatory at ski hills.

Tragically, an 11-year-old girl died last week in a skiing accident at Calabogie Peaks Resort near Ottawa. She was wearing a helmet when she struck a tree. No doubt this sad incident will prompt another round of debate about safety and skiing.
Read the rest of this entry »

Philip ( The Scorekeeper ), is the 30 year old son of John and Diane Thiessen. He was born in July of 1979, The International Year of the Child, and suffered severe brain injury during a very traumatic labour and delivery. He has proven to be a wonderful blessing and inspiration to his family and all who meet him. It is our intention to share his life in this blog which we hope will encourage any who may find themselves in a similar situation. It will become apparent from the blog entries why he is referred to as ‘ The Scorekeeper ‘

http://philipthescorekeeper.blogspot.com/

The comprehensive program includes three components: 1) a prospective, blinded research program, 2) a comprehensive clinical managment protocol, and 3) an educational component.

Using the baseline-testing-post-injury neurospsycholgical (NP) measurement paradigm, the program has assessed more than 1500 athletes at baseline, with serial post-injury testing of more than 100 athletes who have suffered concussions. Our program is dynamic and has evolved to a state of the art clinical management program informed by research.

There are three primary research goals:
1. To identify and quantify neurocognitive and emotional effects and recovery following concussion, or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).
2. To determine an evidence-based return-to-play (RTP) guideline protocol that is useful and practical for physicians, and
3. To implement a sensitive and specific, valid and reliable brief neuropsychological (NP) battery as a ‘gold standard’ for assessing the neurocognitive and emotional effects of mTBI.

There are three primary clinical management goals:
1. To develop and implement a practical, evidence-based model for the prudent clinical management of concussions.
2. To monitor neuropsychological (NP) and emotional/psychological changes associated with concussion in varsity sports at the University of Toronto, and 3) to inform evidence-based return to play decisions.

Our educational goals include the following:
1. To disseminate knowledge to athletes, student body and university community
2. To disseminate our findings to the scientific community
3. To disseminate information about evidence-based best practice to the medical community,
4. To provide the latest information on sport concussion to the public,
5 .To provide educational opportunities to undergraduate and graduate students, and
6. To inform policy at the University of Toronto and other Canadian Interuniversity Sport Institutions.

“There will always be another game, but you only have one brain. When in doubt, stay out!”

The University of Toronto/Toronto Rehab Varsity Athlete Concussion Program