Serotonin Syndrome Precipitated by Amantadine in a Patient With Persistent Post Concussive Symptoms - A Case Report.

Symptoms after mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) can persist for greater than 1 month in up to 20% of individuals, yet there are no current medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of specific concussion related sequelae. Amantadine, a dopamine agonist and N-Methyl-D-aspartate antagonist, is increasingly being used as a treatment option for individuals with traumatic brain injury across the spectrum of injury severity. This case report describes a 22-year-old individual who sustained an MTBI without loss of consciousness or post-traumatic amnesia after striking their head against a metal cabinet.

Management of Medical Complications During the Rehabilitation of Moderate-Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.

Brain injury specialists are experienced providers able to identify and treat the unique medical complications after moderate-severe traumatic brain injury, including posttraumatic seizures, paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity, spasticity, hydrocephalus, agitation, neuroendocrine dysfunction, heterotopic ossification, venous thromboembolism, and cranial nerve dysfunction. Owing to the potential negative impact on outcome if left untreated, identification and appropriate treatment is essential. An additional role of the brain injury specialist is to educate family about potential medical complications and anticipated outcomes after brain injury.

Measure of functional independence dominates discharge outcome prediction after inpatient rehabilitation for stroke.

Background And Purpose: Identifying clinical data acquired at inpatient rehabilitation admission for stroke that accurately predict key outcomes at discharge could inform the development of customized plans of care to achieve favorable outcomes. The purpose of this analysis was to use a large comprehensive national data set to consider a wide range of clinical elements known at admission to identify those that predict key outcomes at rehabilitation discharge.

Methods: Sample data were obtained from the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation data set with the diagnosis of stroke for the years 2005 through 2007.

Assessment and treatment of common persistent sequelae following blast induced mild traumatic brain injury.

The ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and terrorist activity worldwide have been associated with an increased incidence of blast injuries. While blast injuries share similarities with blunt or penetrating traumatic injuries, there are unique mechanistic elements of blast injury that create increased vulnerability to damage of specific organs. This review highlights the mechanism of blast-related injury, describes the common sequelae of blast exposure that may impact rehabilitation care, and summarizes the intervention strategies for these blast-related sequelae.

Recovery and rehabilitation after stroke.

Most individuals survive stroke and age with its consequences. Rehabilitation becomes the dominant medical need soon after onset, and coordinated rehabilitation services using evidence-based interventions determined by patient need are of primary importance in affecting outcome and quality of life. This discussion will focus on the natural history of recovery after stroke and the changes in brain organization that support behavioral improvement during recovery, then review established and emerging therapeutic approaches directed at improving independent functional performance and quality of life.