Visual Disturbances in Brain

                                                   I'm particularly proud of this one.



I've been reading Oliver Sachs' new book "Hallucinations" (on my e-reader because that's easier on my t.b.i. eyes than printed books are.  So far, it's been a real delight to me.  I was happy to discover that a few  visual disturbances similar to mine [mine are due to the t.b.i. and manifested for the first time immediately after the accident when I "saw" my entire windshield shatter-- it didn't] and the explanations for them.

I encourage all t.b.i. survivors and other folks on Brain List at Twitter to read this book if you too, like me, suffer from visual disturbances.

sapphoq healing t.b.i.

A Shout-Out to Matt Evans of Kalamazoo

At the age of eight, Matt Evans was hiking in Colorado and he fell off a cliff. He fractured a skull. His brain injury left him with slowed cognitive processing. On top of that, he had a stroke which left him with some paralysis in an arm, difficulty walking and speaking, and the need for several surgeries on both his right arm and leg. In spite of his difficulties, Matt Evans continued to play golf-- albeit one-handedly-- and it is reported that he indulges in a game of pick-up basketball here and there. He graduated with a 3.5 cum and he hopes to pursue further studies and a career in elementary education.

Matt Evans, I salute you for persevering in spite of your disability and I wish you the best in life.

sapphoq healing traumatic brain injury


http://blog.mlive.com/grpress/2008/06/kalamazoo_central_grad_overcom.html

VISION RESTORATIVE THERAPY 2/15/07

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/552149

Over at the International Stroke Conference most assuredly held in some warmer clime than this one, Dr. Jose Romano presenting his findings. Using specific patterns of light, patients who had narrowed vision fields-- from traumatic brain injury or from stroke-- were found to have increased field of vision after completing a course of treatment with V.R.T. (Vision Restorative Therapy). The device has been F.D.A.-approved. Medicare reimbursement for treatment with V.R.T. is being sought.

Due to my own experiences with Vision Therapy and the use of a specific colored light, I am cheering loudly!

sapphoq healing t.b.i. and a.b.i.

MACULAR DEGENRATION MEDICATION AND RISK OF STROKE IN OLDER PATIENTS 2/5/07

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/551479

A medication called Lucentis (ranibizumab) has been tentatively linked to an increased risk of stroke in older patients in an ongoing study designed to test its' safety. Lucentis is prescribed for patients who have the wet form (neovascular) of Age-related Macular Degeneration (A.M.D.). The pharmaceutical company Genentech sent a warning letter to physicians on approximately January 23rd.

In the study, patients who got the recommended dose of ranibizumab were at increased risk for stroke over patients who got a lower dose. Patients who have a history of stroke were also at increased risk for having a second stroke. There was no increase in stroke-related deaths.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration is a disease of the retina. It is the leading cause of vision loss in the elderly. It is progressive. It comes in two forms-- dry, and wet. The dry form can shift over into the wet form which is thought to be the more troublesome of the two. Although a thorough eye examinations including dilation is not prioritized by adults aged 50 and over, there are advances in treatment for A.M.D. and hopefully at least one of them will not care the increased risk for stroke.

sapphoq healing t.b.i. and a.b.i.

BRAIN DAMAGE AND CIGARETTES 1/26/07

Scientists noticed that folks with stroke-- who sustained injury to the "insula" [or insular cortex] just under the frontal lobes near the ear-- lose their desire to smoke cigarettes [assuming they were smokers in the first place] and just don't do it anymore. To the researchers' credit, they aren't suggesting that smokers go out and get their insulas damaged.

To further explain: The insula, a region deep within the brain that is a little bigger than a toonie, is believed to translate physical signals from the body into emotional feelings such as anxiety, hunger or a craving, said co-principal investigator Dr. Antoine Bechara of the Brain and Creativity Institute at the University of Southern California. [end of quote from http://www.canada.com/ ]

Some scientists want to try transcranial magnetic stimulation or some form of biofeedback on the insular cortexs of non-damaged smokers. Others want to develop pharmaceutical drugs to target the area in an effort to reduce cravings in addicts. Researchers are warning that because the study was performed on 69 patients, the results cannot be extrapolated to larger groups of addicts who are addicted to other stuff.

Unfortunately, folks with stroke with the same injury to the "insula" don't quit overeating. Apparently, smoking is considered to be learned pleasure and overeating isn't. [I don't know why that would be-- something to do with eating itself being considered to be necessary for survival.] Rats. I thought they might have been on to something there.

sapphoq healing t.b.i. [and a.b.i.]