Army Studies Mild Concussion Cases

A study is underway at Fort Campbell Army Base in Fort Campbell, Kentucky which is looking into the cognitive effects that mild concussions have on bomb techs. It's the first of it's kind conducted by the military where the data will actually be collected from tests performed on active duty bomb specialists throughout their deployment. While nearly 200,000 concussion cases have been reported since 2000, many more are not reported. The effects of a mild concussion can be detrimental to the health of an individual should it go untreated.

In many cases the brain can heal on it's own after suffering a mild concussion. However, the most important remedy is resting and giving the brain the time to heal properly. Should the brain not be given that time to heal, neurons can die off and ultimately cause irreversible damage, inhibiting an individual from performing complex functions, and sometimes even the most basic of functions.

Military members often ignore injuries in hopes of returning to battle as soon as possible. However, while their intent is to get back to work in order to help, they would actually be more prepared and a better asset to their fellow soldiers after having rested and healed properly. The army has made headway in terms of how they handle situations where soldiers experience a blast. Medical evaluations and 24 hours rest are mandatory for any soldier within 50 feet of a blast or in a vehicle that rolls over as a result of a blast. Much more comprehensive evaluations are mandatory for anyone suffering three concussions in a year.

It'll be interesting to see the results of the current study as the results will be taken in real time giving researchers much more insight as to how the effects vary daily based upon performance of real life activity and not just medical tests purposefully administered.

The full article can be read here.

Reminder to Practice Safe Driving Habits

With the winter months approaching, CareMeridian skilled nursing facility just wants to remind you that, as the weather conditions worsen, drivers should take extra precaution on the roads to ensure they arrive at their destinations safely. Automobile accidents are a leading cause of traumatic brain injury. While traumatic brain injury rehabilitation can help reduce the effects of a brain injury resulting from a car accident or other event that causes sustained physical force to the head, the only way to fully avoid any effects of a TBI is by avoiding them altogether. Although there is no guaranteed way to always avoid suffering a TBI, there are obviously ways that the odds of falling victim to one can be reduced.

That being said, always use caution while driving a vehicle. Obey the speed limit and reduce your speed below the speed limit in slippery conditions. Try to avoid making late night road trips at night when other drivers may be sleepy and their awareness may be lowered. Just because you see them doesn't always mean they see you. Use proper turn signals when appropriate and always wear your seatbelt. Never drive a vehicle if your ability is impaired due to alcohol and, likewise, never get into a car with a driver that has been drinking. As a last piece of advice, if an accident is inevitable, try to brace yourself for impact. Believe it or not, this can help you avoid a worst case scenario.

Depression May Change The Color Of Your World

Depression can cause a lot of changes to a victim who is suffering from the ailment. It can change their personality, their emotions, and their general feelings towards the world they live in. However, now research has shown that depression can even change the way a person physically perceives the world by dimming the world of it's beautiful color.

Researchers at the University of Freiburg in Germany have found that people who suffer from depression have a difficult time seeing the differences between the contrasts of black and white. Why this is happening in depressed individuals is still hard to figure out but many feel it has to do with the chemical composition of the brain. Others place the blame on the lack of focus that an individual who is depressed has and even feel that the subconscious mind can be at fault.

The study was conducted by having 40 depression victims and 40 healthy subjects go through various vision tests that had them view flickering black and white checkerboards. While this was happening the researchers tested the retina of the eye using an ECG (electrocardiogram). This showed that the depressed subjects had a much lower retinal response to the varying level of the black and white contrast pictures then the healthy subjects and helped the researchers come up with this theory.

This research can likely help medical professional treat other ailments of a depressed individual by unlocking new ways to bring the color back into a dreary world.

Brain Patterns Could Stand As A Mental Illnesses Prediction

Mental illnesses such as schizophrenia or depression can, at times, present themselves and occur without even showing any risk or warning sign of the disease in the victim. This is a concern for medical professionals and patients alike because not being able to predict the onset of these mental illnesses curbs the ability to act and prevent these disorders from taken over the victims' mind. However, now British scientists have found a way to predict the onset of mental illnesses via patterns shown in the brain activity of young people and children. By looking for patterns or "markers" in young people's brain activity these researchers argue that you can find risks for future mental illness.

The study was taken at Nottingham University by comparing the brain patterns of victims of mental illnesses with a control group who were not affected by any sort of mental problem and were actually siblings of the group with mental illnesses. By looking at the patterns, researchers theorized that you could help predict and identify those who are at risk for becoming ill. This could help to both prevent the illness from taking place and medicate those who are at risk before symptoms completely take hold. This is good news for millions of people who are affected by mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and epilepsy because it could possibly stand as a warning sign in preventing mental illness before it even has a chance to start.

Understanding Medical Scans: Limit Scans Involving Radiation to Tests that are the Most Necessary

There is a definite advantage that breakthroughs in medical technology have given professionals when diagnosing a patient. Many of them are responsible for an extensive number of lives that have been saved over the last few decades. However, abusing medical technology can actually be detrimental to your health instead of beneficial. For instance, X-rays have given dentists an essential tool which helps them determine trouble spots in the teeth and gums so that effective preventative care can be administered. However, X-rays produce harmful radiation and too much exposure can be very risky to an individuals health. Therefore, getting X-rays done at every visit to the dentist to ensure a healthy smile could prove to have a worse health effect on the body should the over abundance of exposure to radiation result in long term health problems.

A new study has shown that Americans are now getting the most exposure to radiation from medical scans like that from a M.R.I. machine, not from power lines or cell phones or too much sun. This study targets Americans because the United States accounts for more than half of the procedures performed globally that use radiation for medical purposes. The actual amount of radiation utilized in medical practice has grown exponentially over the last few decades. It may be time to ease up on the throttle and slow down the rate at which we're utilizing these medical technologies, applying tests involving radiation only in the most necessary instances.

Obviously, too much radiation has been linked to cancer among other illnesses, but where the harmful radiation was coming from was always up to debate. Most individuals just assume that tests done in a medical facility are being performed safely. In retrospect, researchers have shown that the people at the greatest risks for developing cancer could in fact be those that are receiving a higher number of medical scans. In 2006, medical radiation accounted for more than half of all exposure to radiation, which was a significant increase from the 1980's (total doses 678 from 1980-1982, 2006: 1,660). Scientists are now predicting that 2 percent of all cancers in the United States will come from medical scans in the upcoming decades.

Connection Between Cell Phone Use And Brain Cancer Hard To Find

When cell phones were first introduced there was a big fear that excessive use would cause brain tumors and cancers for cell phone users. Nowadays, millions are using some sort of cell phone, so the risk of getting some form of cancer is still prevalent. This is why there was a major international study to see if there was a connection between brain cancer and cell phone use. The findings were positive considering that a link was found to be inconclusive, however there is a lot left to find out about what the effects of excessive cell use has on the biological nature of the brain.

A decade long survey was taken to test the validity of cell phone use causing cancer. Almost 13,000 people participated in the study and over the decade the study found that two types of brain cancer, meningioma and glioma (the first being more frequent but less dangerous while the latter being rarer but more dangerous) were not increased by cell phone use for long periods of time. This is a big blow to many theorists who always felt that there was a distinct connection between the two.

Yet, even though the study showed that the link between brain cancer and using your cell phone was transparent to say the least, the researchers who held the study admitted that there were some inconsistencies within the study. For example, the study didn't take into account were effects of the use of hands free cell phone headsets, the effect of having the cell phone being close to the body but not using it, and general human error within the decade long span study.

Whatever the case may be, the study has made steps in the direction of showing that there is no direct connection between being on your cell phone and brain cancer. Yet, just to be safe it's probably best to not be on your cell phone 24/7.

How To Avoid/Ease Springtime Allergies

Springtime is a great season. Winter is over, the weather is nice, the days are long, and all the flowers are in full bloom. However, the flowers being in full bloom may also be one of the reasons that people really hate the spring. The spring season is known as allergy season for millions of people who suffer watery eyes and sneezing by just talking a walk in the park on a beautiful spring day. Pollen is usually the culprit for many of these allergy sufferers but there are plenty of others like ragweed, oak, maple, and even just general mold that can make this season horrible. Luckily, there's ways to make the allergy season bearable.

One of the best ways to avoid the sniffling, sneezing, and watery eyes that comes with the allergy season is to do the time honored tradition of spring cleaning. Over the winter, dust and mold could have piled up on shelves and furniture around the house. Now, while dust may not cause allergies it does serve as an irritant that can open the doors to pollen and ragweed reeking havoc on your nose, eyes, and throat.

Another smart way to get through the spring is to be aware of the pollen counts that are in effect. If pollen is high then it's probably best to hang home instead of going out and coming back sick. The worst times for pollen is usually between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. but even then it's best to be aware of when pollen is at it's highest.

Also, doing laundry constantly helps to wash clothes clean of any irritants that may have latched on. Use warm water and do the laundry indoors to make sure that you didn't take home any pollen that may hide out in your home for weeks. Doing this will not only keep your clothes clean but will keep your allergies from running wild.

Hope springs eternal, but so does pollen, so be aware that every time you bend over to smell the flowers that you may come up sneezing. However, if you follow these easy tips a walk in the park will be just that.

London Study Suggests Brainteasers Have No Effect On Making Brain Smarter

Who doesn't love a good brainteaser? A fun game that is fun to play and makes you smarter at the same time is a great way to pass the time while improving your mind. We've all played these type of games and have done brainteasers that we all thought were making us smarter, but a new study shows that these games may be nothing more than just, well, games.

A London study has shown that people who play games on the computer that are said to make you smarter don't make you any smarter. In fact, they don't do anything at all. Over 8,500 people from the ages of 18 to 60 took part in the study by playing online games that told them would increase their intelligence, memory, and other cognitive aspects of their brains. They were told to play these games for about 10 minutes a day and to do this for three weeks. These numbers were then contrasted with over 2,000 other test subjects who acted as a control group by not playing the games at all. This group just went on the Internet the same amount of time that the other group was playing the brain games. Each set of test subjects were given I.Q. tests before the study to see if their brains improved over time.

What the results showed was that the subjects that played the online games and brainteasers didn't perform any better on I.Q. tests compared to the control group that simply went online. Even in some areas of the test, the people who didn't play the games scored higher. This goes to show that brain games could really just be a waste of time if they don't in fact make you any smarter. However, just with any exercise regime, it would be interesting to see how brain teaser exercises effect the brain over a much longer period of time, as three weeks isn't usually a sufficient amount of time to see significant results from any exercise routine.

New Research Shows That Relaxation May Be The Key To Improving Memory

Everyone knows that being relaxed clears the head, but scientists have shown that there's a certain link behind being relaxed and having good memory. Having good memory can be a fickle thing, but scientist have found that people who are relaxed have brain waves that easily link up with memory related brain functions and neurons. This shows that cognitive aspects of the brain are associated with the emotional and behavioral aspects of it. As stated before, research has already showed that a relaxed mind works more efficiently than a stressed one, but now science has shown where those connections are.

Research showed that the more stressed an individual was the less memory they could maintain during certain learning processes and objectives. This was caused by brain waves being unable to sync up with memory related neurons in the brain with the right timing. Using an EEG, it was found that, once the brain was put into a relaxed state, memory improved. The emotional reaction of relaxing helped the brain function at a greater rate, which brought on improved recall and memories showing a clear connection between emotions and functions of the brain.

While the research showed improved memory resulting from a clear connection between the behavioral areas of the brain and cognitive areas, this research can do the most good helping people with learning disabilities. The studies showed that many learning disabilities could be based off bad timing in the brain brought on by harmful emotional responses like stress. All of these can now be treated with new therapies from the research. At the very least, the study should remind us to take it easy so we can improve our memory.

Women Have Greater Memory Loss During Pregnancy

Pregnant women have a lot to think about. They have to think about their health, the health of the baby, when the baby is coming, what's going to happen when the baby comes, etc. So, it's easy to be pretty forgetful with all of that going on. However, new studies have shown that pregnant women may not be forgetful because they have a lot on their minds, but rather, because their pregnant bodily biology may be messing with their memory.


Current studies have shown that elevated hormone levels that come with being pregnant can have an effect on the functions of the brain, which can lead to memory loss during the nine months of pregnancy. Tests taken between pregnant women and non-pregnant women went on to show that women in the later trimesters not only had more anxiety than women who were not pregnant, but that they also had worse memory via memory test scores. These results lead researchers to realize that the cause was more than just the hectic lifestyle of pregnant women.


Researchers placed the blame on high levels of sex hormones that go through the bodies of pregnant women. These hormones help women during the pregnancy but studies have now shown that they also hindered the woman's ability to remember. This sounds like a serious issue for women who plan on getting pregnant or are already pregnant, but the research also went on to show that the memory issues only take place during the nine months of pregnancy. Three months after the birth of the baby, hormone levels return back to normal along with memory. This is a relief for the millions of soon to be mothers as it now gives them some insight as to why they can't remember certain information.

Cutting Calories May Help Maintain Memory

Cutting calories is a great way to keep the body in shape, but research has now shown that it may also be a way to improve memory and mental health. Cutting down on calories and having a healthier diet has always been seen as a way to help the brain function more efficiently, but what researchers found through a study was a possible connection between dieting and improved memory. A study was conducted with three different groups of individuals with an average age of around 60. The first group cut their daily intake of calories by 30%, the second group increased their calorie intake day to day, and the third group acted as a control and didn’t change anything regarding their diets.

Participants had their memories tested before changing their diets and then again months after completing the study. The research showed that the seniors who cut down on their calorie intake had higher scores regarding verbal memory than the other groups. This presents and interesting link between a good diet and improved memory, but some scientists are still skeptical. Many argue that the testing group was still too small and that the testing didn’t show if the memory improvement lasted over time or just day to day. However, aside from this study, cutting down on calories is generally linked with a higher level of physical fitness and ultimately a healthier lifestyle which includes a healthy brain.

Lack Of Sleep May Cause Brain To Shrink

It looks like insomniacs have another worry to keep them from sleeping at night. Scientists have now tied chronic insomnia to lower grey matter in areas of the brain that control decision making and the body’s ability to rest. Not being able to sleep changes the function of the brain, and now studies show that it may even cut down on brain matter itself. Scientists found through brain scans of chronic insomnia patients and normal sleepers that the insomniac patients displayed widespread brain density loss the longer they’ve been unable to sleep. Scientists also found that lack of sleep compromised the stimuli of the brain and could have a profound effect on the way the restless make choices and act in their daily lives.

Studies have always shown that insomnia has been somewhat tied to the malfunctions of the brain and behavior changes, but this new study sheds light on what is actually happening. Less grey matter caused by lack of sleep now shows insomnia to be more than a psychological annoyance and to be more of a neurological problem. However, researchers are still not completely sure if insomnia is causing a lack of grey matter in the brain or if a lack of grey matter in the brain is causing insomnia. Nevertheless, these new studies may be able to help find a treatment to deal with chronic insomnia which would allow millions of people to finally get some well deserved rest.

Health Care Reform

On Christmas Eve the Senate passed the Obama Administration's proposed health care reform bill.  For many Americans, this marks the greatest step towards an affordable public health care plan.  An $871 billion health care bill passed by a vote of 60-39.  The full article reported by CNN on Christmas Eve, 2009 is posted on the CNN website.

Now congressional leaders are working to merge the bill with a $1 trillion House bill without allowing Republicans to scuttle progress.  The hope is that a health care bill can be placed on President Obama's desk by early February, shortly before the State of the Union address.