First blood test to help diagnose traumatic brain injuries gets FDA approval

CBS News | Feb 18, 2018

A test to help diagnose traumatic brain injury, produced by Banyan Biomarkers, has received approval from the Food and Drug Administration. The test works to detect two proteins that leak into the blood stream following a head injury, and is capable of doing so within 12 hours of when the injury took place. Patients who test positive would be referred for CT scans to confirm results and determine the course of action. Banyan Biomarker’s innovative test “sets the stage for a more modernized standard of care for testing of suspected cases,” as Gottlieb stated within the article.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) in children is a significant public health problem in the United States. A traumatic brain injury disrupts the normal function of the brain, and can be caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head, or a related injury.

CDC recently released a Report to Congress on The Management of Traumatic Brain Injury in Children, which details the impact a TBI can have on children and their families. The report also:

• Identifies gaps in care
• Provides opportunities for action to reduce the gaps, and
• Highlights key policy strategies to address the short and long-term consequences of a TBI.

See the link below for access to the report AND other great resources.

CDC Report to Congress on the Management of TBI in Children

Domestic violence advocates call for awareness of brain injury among survivors
The Sydney Morning Herald (Aus) | Feb 5, 2018
Last year, 47 women died violently in Australia, the majority in situations of family violence. This year the count is already at seven, according to Destroy The Joint. But as advocacy groups keep tally of lives lost, they have no way of counting the number of women who suffer non-fatal injuries, often repeatedly, which impact them for the rest of their lives.

Ex-NFL player fighting brain trauma: It’s not only athletes who get CTE
Today Show | Feb 1, 2018
Most often, CTE is linked to football and its impact on the brain; there’s also a focus now on how it can impact developing brains in children. In January there were two new state bills calling for a ban on tackle football in kids under 12. But other sports aren’t immune: CTE has been found in boxers, soccer players, hockey players and military veterans.

It’s not concussions that cause CTE. It’s repeated hits, a study finds                                                                                                                           CNN | Jan 18, 2018

CTE, or Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, is a neurodegenerative disease found in individuals with a history of brain trauma. It has been diagnosed in many professional football players, raising questions surrounding how to decrease the risk of CTE among athletes. A recent study conducted by Dr. Lee Goldstein and colleagues at Boston University investigating the brains of athletes has suggested that it is important to shift the emphasis of CTE prevention efforts to ways to reducing the total number of repeated hits instead of solely focusing on concussions.