Lately, an increasing amount of focus has been placed on recognizing and treating the immediate effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and concussions, but only a few, early-stage studies have begun to look at the long-term consequences exclusively. Researchers in Seattle hope to be the first to find hard evidence linking traumatic brain injury to serious long-term effects later in life, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation was founded by Seattle Seahawks owner Paul Allen. Earlier this month, the organization provided researchers at the University of Washington and Allen Institute for Brain Science with a $2.37 million grant. The money will fund the first-ever study large scale study to look specifically at the lasting effects of traumatic brain injury.
For the next two years, neuroscience researchers will analyze hundreds of brain samples from the Group Health Research Institute to focus on changes that occur after a traumatic injury and if the trauma leads to any disorders or complications, such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s.
To date, traumatic brain injury research has focused primarily on the immediate impacts of concussions and mild traumatic brain injury. The broader, lasting consequences of a single or repetitive brain injury are still unconfirmed. Susan Coliton, vice president of The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, noted:
“Awareness of TBI (traumatic brain injuries) has grown in recent years, but our understanding of what actually happens to the brain in the years following that type of injury is still a great mystery. This unmatched investigation into the long-term impacts of TBI is bold discovery science at its best, and we are proud to support this important work.”
Study results will be loaded into the Allen Brain Atlas web portal, where researchers around the world will be allowed free access to the newly gathered data.
References:
Komo News
