Study: Human hormone could become first treatment for brain injury

March 06, 2014 (Press-News.org) When someone in Philadelphia County suffers a head injury, the only thing that doctors can do is try to stabilize that person to prevent further damage from being done. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke there are no known treatments to reverse any damage that a traumatic brain injury has already caused.

Depending on the severity of the injury, people who suffer a brain injury may have to go through physical therapy, speech therapy, psychological treatment and other forms of treatment. This can be a difficult time for people and their family as they learn to live with the long-term effects of their condition.

Causes of brain injury

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists that the major causes of brain injury are falls, car accidents and being struck by something. Car accidents can be particularly dangerous as the majority of people who die, as a result of a brain injury, suffered that injury in a collision.

There are two types of brain injuries that can occur, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. These injuries are closed head injuries and penetrating injuries. In a closed head injury, a person could suffer primary and secondary brain damage. The extent of such damage is contingent on how serious the injury is. Someone in a car accident, for example, could hit their head so hard that they actually fracture their skull and this can lead to secondary damage which includes brain swelling, fever, breathing problems and blood problems.

Human hormone study

A new study is currently being conducted on an international scale, according to KABC, which may lead to the first ever treatment for traumatic brain injury. The hormone is called progesterone and there is evidence that it has the ability to reduce brain swelling, rebuild the blood-brain barrier that is often damaged and reduce brain cell death. These are the facts related to the study:
- The goal is to use over 1,100 patients with traumatic brain injury.
- Patients and their families are not told whether they received the hormone or a placebo.
- 150 sites in 21 countries are participating.
- The hormone, or placebo, is injected in the patient for five consecutive days.
- The hormone must be given to the patient no longer than eight hours after the injury occurred.
- Participants' progression is monitored for six months after the treatment.

One man, who suffered a brain injury in a car accident, has shown significant progress after being placed in the study. It is unknown whether he received the progesterone when he was in a coma.

A severe brain injury can drastically change the lives of victims and their families. When someone has suffered a head injury through the negligent behavior of a company or a person, he or she should meet with an experienced attorney to talk about how to seek appropriate compensation.

Article provided by Marrone Law Firm
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