Victims of Chicago traumatic brain injuries and their families continue to suffer even after the victim survives the injury. Medical science is currently unable to offer accurate prognoses for this injury, which is painful for victims and their families. Fortunately, however, exciting new developments could make prognosis and treatment more effective.

• • Neuroimaging: New technologies, such as Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and Diffusion Tensor Imaging, go beyond just a mere picture of the injury. Using fMRI allows the physician to see activity within the brain. This makes it easier to identify where the problems are and helps researchers learn which parts of the brain are responsible for what activity. Another emerging neuroimaging technique is Diffusion Tensor Imaging, which produces a picture of the brain’s white matter and documents whether it changes over time.
  • Stimulation Therapies: Stimulation therapies, such as trans cranial magnetic stimulation and trans cranial direct current stimulation, may improve the rehabilitation process for TBI victims. These therapies block interference between the two hemispheres of the brain during recovery.
  • Biomarker Research: While this technology is still many years away from being used in the clinical setting, researchers are working to uncover which biomarkers are good predictors for various outcomes following head trauma.
  • National Traumatic Brain Injury Database: Traumatic brain injury researchers are working to form a collective information registry that will allow doctors to analyze the cases of thousands of head trauma victims at one time.

If you live in the Chicago area and have suffered a brain injury, contact a Chicago brain injury attorney at (847) 651-7191 for more information.