Study about traumatic brain injuries to be conducted

On Behalf of | Mar 16, 2016 | Brain Injuries

A number of New Jersey residents incur traumatic brain injuries each year. These injuries are notoriously difficult to diagnose and treat. Currently, doctors rely on brain imaging scans, such as CT scans, to try to determine the severity of the injury.

More than 2.2 million people across the United States go to their local emergency rooms each year after suffering a TBI. There isn’t a standardized test or treatment protocol that is used to address these injuries. A large study may change that, however. Researchers from the University of Minnesota are collaborating with the Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis to study concussions and to establish a standardized diagnostic tool and treatment protocol.

Instead of relying on imaging scans, the researchers are using technology that tracks eye movements. Eye movements that are abnormal are associated with having a traumatic brain injury. Researchers are using the patented technology while patients watch material on iPads. They will also be using blood-based biomarkers together with the eye-tracking technology to help determine the severity of the injury. This may help them to develop a standard treatment and diagnostic tool that can then be implemented nationwide.

Although TBIs are commonly associated with football and other contact sports, they can also be the result of a motor vehicle accident or a fall after slipping on a wet or greasy surface in a store. A person who has incurred such a brain injury as a result of the negligence of another party may have to spend prolonged periods of time in rehabilitation, all the while incurring significant medical expenses. A personal injury attorney could be of assistance in seeking compensation for those and other losses by preparing and filing a lawsuit against the at-fault party.