Auditory gamma sensory stimulation for Brain Injuries

Brain injuries cause nearly 1.8 million injuries per year, which is 4.5% of total injuries suffered annually. There are many different types of brain injuries, although the vast majority of these are categorized as minor injuries. There is no correlation between incidence of brain injury and gender, and an increased incidence of brain injury was present in persons who reported they had a lower income in the past week. No correlation was found between brain injury and age.

This review is useful for treatment specialists when thinking about the treatment of brain injuries. Given the large variation in injuries to the brain, it gives a starting point for treatment planning. A comprehensive clinical picture is required. An ongoing care plan is essential to ensure an uninterrupted and safe rehabilitation trajectory. This review provides an indication of future treatment plans based upon current and future advances in the neurosciences, neuroimaging, and neuroscience.

There are many causes, ranging from external causes such as car crashes or violence-related trauma, to neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's. Brain injuries can have more than one contributing factor, so prevention efforts should target the causes with an emphasis on minimizing risk factor modification.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has negative impacts that include loss of physical function and mental health. The impact of TBI can occur in a variety of ways and may result in long term physical and/or mental disabilities. The physical manifestations observed from brain injuries are a result of acute injury and also have a long-term impact on individuals functionality. Injuries can occur in a variety of ways including falling, blunt or penetrating trauma, motor vehicle accidents, concussions and head injuries.

Overall results suggest that the development of strategies for treating brain injuries is needed at multiple levels: (1) development of neuroprotective agents; (2) enhancing neuroregeneration through transplantation approaches; (3) development of specific diagnostic and surgical tools; (4) development of improved therapeutic and rehabilitation strategies.

The absence of physical signs of brain injuries may lead to delays in timely brain injuries presentation to a healthcare provider. Physicians need to be aware and remember the subtle, yet clinically significant, signs of brain injuries. Those who manage patients with brain injuries and are asked to consult the neurology service with unexplained headache and/or focal neurological symptoms should remember to consider an organic cerebral lesion/pathological process whenever the symptoms persist beyond a period of 2–45 days.

A survey of 10 U.S. states determined that 1 in 20 reported being hit by a person in 1997 who had a car accident that caused a severe brain injury. The survey's results were consistent with previous surveys that showed that 1 in 2 reported being hit by a person who had a car accident that caused a serious injury to the brain.

For those who are already brain injured and have shown improvement from a coma, a few treatments have shown significant gains: in addition to conventional treatments, electrical stimulation of the cortex and the substantia nigra, administration of high doses of dexmedetomidine and magnesium oxide, and administration of anesthetic medications can help improve the outcomes of those with brain injuries.

Clinical trials can help patients with brain injuries improve their cognitive and functional abilities. Clinical trials typically require a small number of participants. Given limited sample size, a lower rejection rate is expected. For that reason, clinicians should consider clinical trials if 1) brain injury can be caused by a known external causable factor, 2) there is evidence that a specific intervention (treatment) affects outcome, and 3) the risks from a trial are lower than the risks of not trials.

The effectiveness of the auditory gamma sensory stimulation has been confirmed. The combination of auditory gamma sensory stimulation and cognitive training may be useful for the rehabilitation of patients with CVS.

There is no evidence-based rationale for auditory gamma sensory stimulation as a treatment for brain injury. In particular, no strong benefits were found for outcomes for which auditory gamma stimulation has been proposed as a treatment.