After all of the bad news that has come out lately about how dangerous traumatic brain injury is, even if is is mild a concussion, there is thankfully a speck of hope on the horizon.
New Wonder Drug
Researchers at the Northwestern University School of Medicine have developed a new therapy drug that could potentially treat neurodegenerative disorders as different as Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, and traumatic brain injury. Currently all treatments are aimed at fighting the conditions separately, but the researchers believe that there is an approach that could fight all four.
The drug works by reducing inflammation in the brain. It seems that neuroinflammation is the common denominator between many disorders and the devastating effects of traumatic brain injuries. The drug binds to a molecule called cytokine preventing it from being released in large quantities and causing inflammation.
Preventing Brain Damage
Most existing treatments for neurodegenerative disorders try to stop brain disease in the early stages, after symptoms have arisen. The new drug, however, targets a molecule that is a precursor to developing the disorder in the first place. The drug interrupts the runaway process that leads to brain damage from inflammation.
What this means, however, is that the drug won’t be effective going after late stage diseases but trying to stop diseases in their tracks very early on. This is particularly useful for brain injury as the onset of the trauma is clear — when you get the injury.
No Clinical Trials, Yet
Unfortunately, testing has not reached the clinical trials stage. The study showed that the drug successfully prevented progression of Alzheimer’s in mice, but they’ve only been working on the project for about a year and need to do a lot more tests to determine how well it works
Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyers
The TBI Lawyers at the Strom Law Firm are currently accepting cases involving brain damage and concussions. Call today for a free consultation. 803.252.4800
