The book by U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ husband is set for release Nov. 15, and it promises to offer a frank look at the difficulties of recovering from traumatic brain injury. That includes the physical, mental and emotional challenges of living after being shot…
Lions Jerome Harrison Diagnosed With Brain Tumor, Voiding Trade To Eagles
Detroit Lions running back Jerome Harrison was scheduled to have surgery Friday on a brain tumor, but so far there have been no press reports about the outcome of that procedure. In a twist of fate that may end up…
Congressmen Giffords, Pascrell Partner To Guarantee Care For Those With Traumatic Brain Injury
U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ staff and Rep. Bill Pascrell of New Jersey have teamed up to close any “treatment gap” for those with traumatic brain injury (TBI) to be covered by the federal Affordable Care Act. Giffords, a Democrat serving the 8th District in Arizona,…
Obama Administration Starts Work On National Alzheimer’s Plan
With dementia threatening to drain Medicare and Medicaid funds, the Obama administration is crafting a National Alzheimer’s Plan, according to the Associated Press. http://healthland.time.com/2011/09/14/u-s-prepares-a-national-plan-for-alzheimers/ The aim is to create a strategy that will “combine research aimed at fighting he mind-destroying…
Some Brain Areas Are Strictly Devoted To Language, MIT Study Finds
A study released last week by MIT indicates that certain parts of the brain are just dedicated to language, which the school called “a finding that marks a major advance in the search for brain regions specialized for sophisticated mental…
Lethal Amoeba, Which Attacks Brains, Claims Three Victims This Summer
It sounds like something out of science fiction movie, but it’s killed three people so far this summer. The culprit is Naegleria fowleri, a microscopic brain-eating amoeba. This amoeba killed a 9-year-old boy in Virginia Aug. 5; a 16-year-old Florida girl…
Study Links Sleep Apnea To Higher Risk Of Dementia For Older Women
In a disturbing finding, a study has found that elderly women who have sleep apnea are more at risk to develop dementia. http://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/story/2011/08/Sleep-apnea-may-raise-dementia-risk-in-women/49910776/1 The study, published earlier this month in the Journal of the American Medical Assocation, involved nearly 300 women…
Justice Requires the Brain Injury Voice to Be Heard
I started this blog because I felt that as an advocate, sometimes I needed to comment on American politics, to advance my agenda of finding justice for my clients and others with brain injury. Justice to a significant degree means…
Brain Shrinkage Plagues Humans, Not Chimps
Chimpanzees have a very distinct advantage over humans: Their brains don’t shink as they age. At least that was the finding of recent study that The Wall Street Journal reported on in an article headlined “Brain Shrinkage: It’s Only Human.” http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903999904576468224286877908.html?KEYWORDS=brain+shrinkage…
N.J. Researcher Devises Blood-Screening Test To Detect Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease strikes fear in the heart of most Americans. It’s not only a disease that doesn’t have a cure, it’s a disease without a sure-fire way to detect or confirm it’s presence. There has been progress made on the testing side of…