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At present, the gold standard for objectively proving that an individual sustained a mild traumatic brain injury is through neuropsychological testing. As we know, standard diagnostic testing such as CT scans, MRIs and EEGs, due to their lack of sensitivity, rarely if ever detect brain abnormalities in patients with mild traumatic brain injury.
However, advances in neuroimaging may soon eliminate the need for neuropsychological testing to diagnose brain damage. Advances in FMRI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) will soon become the gold standard.
I recently read an article published in Brain entitled “Structural Dissociation of Attentional Control and Memory in Adults with and without Mild Traumatic Brain Injury”. The article by S. N. Niogi et al, noted that executive function such as attention and memory are among the most significant human brain processes impacting overall cognitive function. The study contained 43 patients prospectively recruited with mild TBI, (28 males, 15 females) who were imaged at least one month post injury and 23 healthy volunteers, (17 males, 6 females). There was no significant difference in mean age, gender, handedness, or level of education between the mild TBI group and the control group. Those with a prior history of TBI, a history of neurological or psychiatric illness were excluded. All subjects underwent diffusion tensor imaging along with conventional MRI. The study provided clear evidence that DTI may serve as a microstructural imaging biomarker for cognitive dysfunctions and variations within normal cognitive functions. Hopefully, further research will confirm this finding. DTI has already been accepted in our courts as a reliable neuroimaging mechanism to detect brain injury from trauma. Further studies such as this will only strengthen its admissibility.
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Your junior high school P.E. teacher had it all wrong.
If you grew up in the 70s like I did you were likely taught the importance of warm-up exercises and how holding stretches for at least 20 seconds was essential. Well, time has moved on and now scientists maintain that some of those tried and true stretches you did in 7th grade are not only a waste of time but also are bad for you.
According to researchers, the belief that holding a stretch for 20 to 30 seconds (known as static stretching) primes muscles for a workout is not only antiquated--it's dead wrong. Researchers say a new study shows holding a stretch for that long actually weakens muscles.
The new study revealed that static stretching decreases muscle strength by as much as 30 percent. In addition, researchers say their study proved that stretching one leg's muscles reduces strength in the other leg because "the central nervous system rebels against the movements." According to researchers, the straining muscle becomes less responsive and stays weakened for up to 30 minutes after static stretching, which is not how an athlete wants to begin a workout.
Rather than strain your muscles with static stretches scientists say athletes should participate in light jogging, which helps loosen muscles and tendons and increases the range of motion of various joints. These types of movements literally warm up the body, which is what you want to do prior to beginning an intense workout.
Experts say another option is to employ a technique known as dynamic stretching or dynamic warm-ups. This technique increases power, flexibility and range of motion. Researchers say for runners, an ideal warm-up might include squats, lunges and light jogging. For athletes who need to move rapidly in different directions, like soccer or tennis, experts recommend doing dynamic stretches that involve multiple body parts such as "Spider Man," whereby a person drops onto all fours and crawls a few hundred feet, as if he or she were climbing a wall.
What does your warm-up routine entail? Are you still doing old-school stretches?
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If you are desperately trying to overcome your addiction to chocolate this blog might come in quite handy. According to British researchers, chocoholics can reduce their cravings by taking a simple 15-minute stroll.
The results of this new study are making headlines around the world (which just goes to prove how powerful the lure of chocolate really is). In a recent news conference scientists announced that for the first-time ever research shows a link between exercise and managing food cravings.
The study followed 25 self-professed "chocoholics" (defined as people who ate chocolate on a daily basis). Each chocoholic was told to abstain from eating chocolate for three days. At the end of Day 3 study participants were asked to either complete a 15-minute brisk walk or rest, in a random order. They then engaged in tasks that would normally induce chocolate cravings, including a mental challenge and opening a chocolate bar.
According to researchers, the chocoholics who participated in physical activity reported fewer cravings than those who opted to rest. Researchers also noted that the chocolate cravings were not only reduced during the walk, but for at least ten minutes afterwards.
In speaking to the media regarding their findings researchers said: "Our ongoing work consistently shows that brief bouts of physical activity reduces chocolate cravings. Neuroscientists have suggested common processes in the reward centers of the brain between drug and food addictions, and it may be that exercise effects brain chemicals that help to regulate mood and cravings. This could be good news for people who struggle to manage their cravings for sugary snacks and want to lose weight."
Researchers say their findings are particularly beneficial for women, who studies show are more susceptible to food cravings than men. According to scientists, chocolate is among the most craved foods in the world because it contains a number of biologically active constituents that temporarily enhance our mood.
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