Regenerative Medicine and its Role in Improving Recovery from Traumatic Brain Injury in Military Service Members Print Email

Dr. Armstrong from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences discusses research into treatments for traumatic brain injury (TBI) that has focused on clinical management, diagnosis, and possible long-term consequences that could result from the initial trauma. Accordingly, regenerative medicine attempts to further improve recovery by a) inducing plasticity, b) stimulating repair, c) exploiting stem cell transplantation, and d) modifying the environment of the damaged brain region. TBI is a significant and puzzling challenge for healthcare providers in the United States. Between 10 and 20% of troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are estimated to have suffered a TBI, and more than 1.1 million civilians each year seek emergency room treatment for TBI.