Altered Fecal Microbiome Years after Traumatic Brain Injury.

Patients with chronic traumatic brain injury (TBI) requiring long-term, permanent care suffer a myriad of clinical symptoms (i.e., impaired cognition, fatigue, and other conditions) that persist for years beyond the acute brain injury.

Prevalence of growth hormone deficiency in middle-age adults recovering from stroke.

: The prevalence of chronic growth hormone deficiency (GHD) and its association with other hormonal deficiencies was determined in middle-aged patients post-stroke with and without consideration of body mass index (BMI).: Clinical records were reviewed to determine pituitary function at least 3 months post-stroke. Patients with a history of endocrine anomalies were excluded.

The influence of post-acute rehabilitation length of stay on traumatic brain injury outcome: a retrospective exploratory study.

Objective: Data regarding length of stay (LOS) in a rehabilitation programme after traumatic brain injury (TBI) are limited. The goal of this study was to examine the effect of LOS and disability on outcome following TBI.

Methods: Records from patients in a multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme at least 3 months after TBI were analysed retrospectively to study the influence of LOS on functional outcome at different levels of disability.

Hypoaminoacidemia Characterizes Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury.

Individuals with a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) are at increased risk for a number of disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy. However, mediators of the long-term morbidity are uncertain. We conducted a multi-site, prospective trial in chronic TBI patients (∼18 years post-TBI) living in long-term 24-h care environments and local controls without a history of head injury.

The interplay between neuropathology and activity based rehabilitation after traumatic brain injury.

Exercise has been shown to facilitate the release of molecules that support neuroplasticity and to offer protection from brain damage. This article addresses the mechanisms behind exercise׳s beneficial effects within the context of traumatic brain injury (TBI). First, we describe how ongoing metabolic, neuroendocrine and inflammatory alterations after TBI interact with exercise.

Detection of Growth Hormone Deficiency in Adults with Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury.

This study examined the prevalence of growth hormone deficiency (GHD) in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) during the post-acute phase of recovery and whether GHD was associated with increased disability, decreased independence, and depression. A secondary objective was to determine the accuracy of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels in predicting GHD in patients with TBI. Anterior pituitary function was assessed in 235 adult patients with TBI through evaluation of fasting morning hormone levels.

Post-acute traumatic brain injury rehabilitation: effects on outcome measures and life care costs.

Rehabilitation is the predominant post-acute treatment for patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). We retrospectively evaluated the effectiveness of post-acute TBI rehabilitation by comparing outcome measures and life care cost with that of patients with cerebrovascular accident (CVA) who underwent a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program within the same facility. To better assess the effects of rehabilitation, we only included patients with no benefit limitations from the insurance carrier.

Propentofylline after focal cortical lesion in the rat: impact on functional recovery and basic fibroblast growth factor expression.

The effects of propentofylline, a xanthine derivative and adenosine transport inhibitor, were evaluated following anteromedial cortex lesion in the rat. Propentofylline (2x/10 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) was administered for 7 days post-insult and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) immunoreactivity measured at designated time points in the peri-lesional cortex and ipsilateral dorsal striatum. The spatiotemporal pattern of bFGF expression was then compared to functional recovery patterns.