Dr. Demarest, neuropsychologist at On With Life, discusses recent trends in the field of brain injury.
Can you tell us about stem cell research and how it might affect therapy for brain injury?
The use of stem cells to repair or replace damaged brain tissue is a new and exciting avenue of research. A stem cell is essentially a "blank" cell, capable of becoming another specific kind of cell in the body. In the field of brain injury, recent advances continue to lead us to consider that, in the future, stem cells will be able to be used to treat damage to the brain's and spinal cord's nerve cell damage. A neural stem cell - a self-renewing stem cell from the central nervous system, is a special kind of cell that can multiply and give rise to other more specialized cell types. Stem cells represent a potential, new important method of treatment for those who suffered brain injuries and stroke. Ongoing research indicates that stem cells have great potential and promise to repair neural pathways, therefore healing a damaged brain and enhancing recovery of neural function.
It's been reported strokes are happening to people earlier in their lifetime, than in previous years. What steps can we take to prevent this?
Up to 80 percent of all strokes can be prevented. One of the ways people can prevent their risk of getting a stroke is by watching their blood pressure and cholesterol levels. High blood pressure and cholesterol can clog arteries and is a major stroke risk factor if left untreated. People can also manage their exercise and diet. Maintaining a diet low in calories, salt, saturated and trans fat and cholesterol paired with daily exercise, will lessen the strain on the circulatory system. They should also consider identifying atrial fibrillation (Afib) which is an abnormal heartbeat that can increase stroke risk by 500%, stop smoking, control diabetes, and treat circulation problems.
Recent trends are arguing that brain injury can be thought of as a disease/life-long issue. Do you support this idea?
There is more and more research that supports this idea and I would agree with that information. People who experience a brain injury, even a mild one, have a 3-fold increased risk of dying prematurely for any cause for at least 13 years after the injury, regardless of the severity of the injury. Traumatic brain injuries, whether mild, moderate, or severe, have been linked to a doubling of dementia risk (Alzheimer's Association International Conference, 2011). For instance, some NFL players are showing major dementia as early as their mid-50's.
What trends should we be aware of in brain injury recovery?
Doctors are increasingly doing more of what's referred to as "brain bypass surgery." Like in cardiac bypass, it uses other blood vessels to circumvent and go around problem areas in the brain. In a study at Krembil Neuroscience Center at Toronto Western Hospital, the improvement was notable and quite uniform. Everybody who had a successful bypass had a restoration of thickness of their cortex back to normal, which was really striking and unexpected.