A new study has found that people who have chronic problems after falls and car accidents scored better on cognition tests after getting a brain implant. According to a report in The New York Times, the study involved people with moderate to severe brain injuries and found that their cognitive tests improved when electrodes implanted in their heads stimulated their brains. Researchers said if the results hold up in larger clinical trials, the implants can become the first effective therapy for those living with traumatic and chronic brain injury.
Researchers involved in the study say sudden jostling of the brain, which can occur during traumatic events such as car accidents or falls, can break some of the long-distance connections in the network of brain regions that are linked to each other by long branches of neurons. The regions essentially send signals to each other, creating a feedback loop that keep this network active. This network may be able to power itself back up after brain trauma. However, that might not happen if the brain damage is severe.
This particular study has raised the possibility that stimulating the neurons in these regions can help people with traumatic brain injuries regain their focus and attention, which is critical to function. The tiny electric pulses, released by the implants hundreds of times each second, direct neighboring neurons to fire their own signals, restoring some of the brain’s functions. Researchers acknowledge that the implant surgeries can be costly, but say at least it offers some hope for the millions of victims who are living with traumatic brain injuries. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 5.3 million men, women, and children are living with a permanent TBI-related disability in the United States today.
The cost of living with a brain injury can be substantial, affecting various aspects of an individual’s life. Medical expenses, including emergency care, hospitalization, surgeries, and ongoing rehabilitation therapies, constitute a significant portion of these costs. Additionally, expenses related to assistive devices, specialized equipment, and modifications to living spaces for accessibility contribute to the financial burden.
Brain injuries often lead to long-term or permanent disability, affecting employment and income potential. Loss of earnings, coupled with the need for continuous care and support services, increases the economic toll faced by victims and their families. Psychological and emotional effects may necessitate mental health treatment, adding to the overall expenses. The cumulative expenses due to these types of injuries include indirect costs, such as reduced quality of life, strains on relationships, and the need for caregiver support.
Victims who have suffered a traumatic brain injury in a car accident, fall or as a result of someone else’s negligence (carelessness) or wrongdoing may be able to seek compensation from at-fault parties for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost wages and benefits, hospitalization, rehabilitation, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc. Families that have lost loved ones in accidents can seek compensation for damages such as lost future income, medical and funeral costs, pain and suffering, etc.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident or pedestrian accident, or if you have lost a loved one in an auto accident caused by a negligent (careless) driver, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you.
For over 53 years, our skilled accident attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims get fair compensation for their losses. We recently recovered $5,600,000 for a bicyclist who was hit by a van, and $2,550,000 for another victim of a truck accident, and $3,000,000 for a pedestrian who was hit by a car, and $2,000,000 in a hit-and-run accident, and the full $1,000,000 insurance policy for a pedestrian who was hit by a truck, and $4,625,000 for a driver who was in a car and was hit by a van, and $2,500,000 for a man who fell through an improperly secured hole. Also, one of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases.
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Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/04/health/traumatic-brain-injury-implants.html