Brain injury study looks at hormone as treatment option

On behalf of Michael Vanasse at Vanasse Law LLC

When someone suffers a brain injury at work in Lancaster County, it can be a traumatic experience for them and their family. These types of injuries are one of the most difficult to treat because of the complexity of the human brain. However, a new study is examining the potential power of a human hormone in treating people with a traumatic brain injury.

The SyNAPSe study

Twenty-one countries are participating in a study called SyNAPSe that could open the way to the first standard treatment for brain injury. According to ABC7, more than 150 different sites are testing a human hormone called progesterone, which shows the ability to stop the brain from swelling and lower the amount of cells that die from a blow to the head. The study is seeking to test over 1,100 patients who are brought into hospitals with brain injury.

Participants in the study must be administered the hormone within the first eight hours. The study is a blind one, which means that patients and their families are not told whether they have been given the hormone or a placebo. The hormone must also be injected into the patient for five consecutive days for maximum effect. Researchers then study how the patient does over the next six months to determine the full results from receiving the hormone.

No current treatment

Currently, the only option that doctors have to treat someone brought in with a head injury is to prevent further damage from happening and to stabilize the patient. There is no known treatment to address the injury directly. Part of this is because each brain injury is different, according to the Brain Injury Association of America. Symptoms can vary and include the following:

• Confusion.
• Partial paralysis.
• Memory loss.
• Personality changes.
• Speaking difficulty.
• Loss of control over limbs.

The brain controls all of the vital body functions and systems and when it is damaged, it can have serious effects on a person’s life. It depends on where the injury happened, how hard the blow was and how quickly the person was stabilized.

Living with brain injury

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke points out that damage to the brain often cannot be reversed. Therefore, many victims may find themselves living with the effects of a brain injury throughout the rest of their lives. This means that they often have to go through ongoing therapy which can include psychiatric, speech, physical and social support. When an employee suffers a traumatic injury to their brain, they may be unable to return to work in their former position.

Seeking workers’ compensation is one way that employees, injured on the job, can help offset the medical bills and loss of income that often occur with brain injury. However, due to the complications associated with brain injury, it is in the best interest of a victim to seek the assistance of a knowledgeable attorney who can help them get the help they need.