Auto accidents, sports injuries, and falls are among the most common causes of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), and unfortunately some patients develop more serious conditions in the weeks, months, or even years after the initial accident. In recent years, we have learned more about chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which is common among athletes (in their later years) after sustaining one or more concussions in sports such as football and boxing, and additional effects of this condition can include depression, memory loss, trouble thinking, and impaired motor skills.
After a head injury occurs, inflammation and loss of brain cells can occur along with other serious neurological effects, and the cognitive and physical symptoms can persist for many years. However, a new study published in the journal “ACS Nano” focuses on a method to potentially mitigate and reduce these effects using “neuron-targeting nanoparticles.”
This involves treating the after-effects of serious head injuries by delivering short strands of ribonucleic acid (RNA) to areas of damage. Although delivering RNA to the brain does have some obstacles – including the blood-brain barrier which separates the fluid around brain cells from circulating blood – Sangeeta N. Bhatia and her colleagues at MIT were able to deliver RNA to target brain cells immediately following the head injury, when the blood-brain barrier remained in a weakened state. When tested on mice, in which the nanoparticles were injected into circulating blood before leaving it to accumulate in the damaged tissue, the method resulted in an 80% reduction of the targeted protein.
While we are making more rapid progress than ever in treating concussions and other brain injuries, the effects of these debilitations can still be long-term or even permanent in some cases, forever reducing a victim’s quality of life.
If you or a loved one has suffered a TBI due to another’s negligence, contact 844 See Mike for a free consultation. We are a Chicago-based injury law firm representing individuals (and their families) who have suffered an injury in an accident. We will handle your case quickly and advise you every step of the way, and we will not hesitate to go to trial for you.
Lastly, 844 See Mike is not paid attorneys’ fees unless we win your case. Our no-fee promise is that simple. You have nothing to risk when you hire us – only the opportunity to seek justice.