The Brain is The Most complex part of the Human Body Weighs three pounds Carries intelligence, senses, body movement, control behavior Crown jewel of the human body

Neurons are nerve cells that transmit nerve signals to and from the brain at up to 200 mph.

HEALTHY BRAININJURED BRAIN

What is TBI TBI is a term that refers to traumatic brain injury patients Traumatic brain injury occurs when a sudden trauma causes damage to the brain Imaging tests are used to determine the diagnosis and prognosis of TBI patients

SERIOUS INJURY Car accident Falls Violence Suicide attempts

Concussion Caused by a sudden blow Brain shakes inside skull Brain temporarily stops working

Symptoms Passing Out light headedness Nauseous Confusion Not be able to stand or walk

Long Term Affects Loss of body movements Loss or vision Loss of hearing Problems with Short term memory Loss of problem Solving ability Loss of control of emotions

Prognosis 50% of all TBI patients need surgery to repair hematomas or contusions Disabilities caused by TBI depend on severity of and the location of the injury, the age and general health of the patient

Long Term Affects Loss of body movements Loss or vision Loss of hearing Problems with Short term memory Loss of problem Solving ability Loss of control of emotions

Glial cells Make up 90% of the brain Glial cells are cells in the human brain that serve as a framework for nerve cells in the brain Also serve an important role in wound reaction due to injuries to brain Prof. Dr. Magdalena Gotz has shown that glial cells are able to restart cell division after injury

GLIAL CELLS Make of 90 percent of the brain cells Directs neuron activity

More on Glial Cells Prof. Dr. Magdalena Gotz examined the molecular bases of cerebral development – especially the cerebral cortex Her conclusion was that glial nerve cells have potential to act as stem cells Stem cells can then form new nerve cells in the brain This process is called cell regeneration

How cells regenerate Cells replenish themselves through the process of mitosis This is the same as regeneration

POTENTIAL NEW DISCOVERY Take a single brain cell Transplant the cell into a recipient

The green marker indicates a support brain cell called an astrocyte and the red marker is an indication of a stem cell, which is highly valued for its ability to transform into any cell type. Blue marks the cell nucleus.

REGENERATION OF BRAIN CELLS Zinc MT-3 Gene (binds and holds zinc) ***only happens in adult injuries****

MORE DEVELOPMENT Chronic alcoholics 4- 5 weeks of abstinence New brain cells develop

Oxford University Study Resting cells migrate to create new nerve cells Stem cells and cells turning into nerve cells Understanding stem cell biology Unlocks potential new treatment

Ground Breaking Study Scientists regenerated optic nerve cells in lab mice Important because never before have scientists been able to regenerate so many nerve fibers

How they did it Tissues in our body continually repair themselves Some cells and nerves in the CNS are unable to do this Researchers discovered two important reasons why the optic nerve and CNS cells do not normally regenerate

“Locks” to neural cell regeneration #1 –gene BCL-2 that activates growth and regeneration in neural cells is gradually “turned off” shortly after birth #2- scar on the brain caused by glial cells, it puts up a physical and molecular barrier to regeneration

“Keys” to neural cell regeneration Key for the BCL-2 gene was a mouse model in which the gene is over-expressed, therefore never turned off Key for the scar caused by glial cells was a mutation of “glial specific genes” in the mice, that reduced the glial scar

The effect of these keys The two keys when used in conjunction with one another caused the optic nerves to return to an embryonic state This caused robust regeneration of the optic nerves, at least 40% of the optic nerves of these mice had been restored

Implications People with TBI, or damages to their optic nerve or CNS may be able to have these damages repaired So people like my nephew, will no longer suffer

TREATMENT MRI/CT SCANS PHYSICAL THERAPY SPEECH/LANGUAGE THERAPY PHYSIATRY (PHYSICAL MEDICINE) SOCIAL SUPPORT

What they are doing now to help people with TBI Landon with his OT Landon with his teacher of special instruction

More pictures Landon with his PT Landon with his speech therapist

The point I learned from watching my nephew that even with the glial scar and the BLC-2 gene not activating growth and regeneration at the level it could, conditions can continually improve

Works Cited National Institute of Health. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Health. Traumatic Brain Injury: Hope Through Research. 11 Dec April Jacobs, Patti. “Schepens scientists regenerate optic nerve for the first time.” Health News. 25 Feb April Buffo, Annalisa… “Post Brain Injury: New Nerve Cells Originate From Neural Cells.” Health News. 12 March April “ Support Services.” Med League Support Services, Inc. 10 April “Traumatic Closed Head Injuries and Placement of Intercranial Pressure Monitors – Medical Illustration Human Anatomy Drawing.” The Doe Report.

Works Cited cont. “Brain Briefing”. Society for Neuroscience Apr Diagnostics. The Brain Trauma Foundation. 15 Arp Earley, P.J. “Traumatic Brain Injury: Therapy, Rehabilitation, and Recovery” Health Link, Medical College of Wisconsin. 7 Jul Healing Potential Discovered in Everyday Human Brain Cells. “Science Daily”. 18 Aug < Kruger, GM, Morrison, SJ. “Brain creates ‘new’ nerve cells”. BBC News. 16 Feb Lang, Leslie H. “New Brain cells develop during alcohol abstinence, UNC study shows”. “Mitosis”. Science Daily. 3 Mar <h/ttp:// Neuroscience Expo: Brain Injury. FSU Neuroscience/Brain Awareness Week. Florida State University. 15 Apr The Statistics are Frightening. The Brain Injury Recovery Network. 15 April Traumatic Brain Injury Information Page. “National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes.” 3 mar The University of North Carolina of Chapel Hill. 5 Nov