#5Thoughts Friday

The

Dolly

Edition

07/05/2024

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS!!

Photo by BUDDHI Kumar SHRESTHA on Unsplash

5) Researchers reveal new pathway to improve traumatic brain injury outcomes

A team of Australia's leading health researchers has developed a new 'dictionary' to better predict outcomes for people who have experienced a moderate-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).

The Australian Traumatic Brain Injury Initiative (AUS-TBI) is a consortium of academics, researchers and healthcare professionals from institutions across the country.

Working together to understand the factors which could be used to predict outcome following TBI in a study supported by the Australian Medical Research Future Fund Mission for TBI, the team examined factors related to social support, health, clinical care, biological markers, acute interventions, and longer-term outcomes.



Published across eight articles in a special edition of the Journal of Neurotrauma, this work culminated in a Single Data Dictionary: a master list of information that if collected would give the best chance at understanding how a person will recover from their brain injury.

Consortium lead and Curtin University Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research Professor Melinda Fitzgerald said predicting each individual's outcome following a TBI was critical -- but also very difficult.

CLICK HERE for article.

Photo by Joshua Sortino on Unsplash

4) As mind-reading technology improves, Colorado passes first-in-nation law to protect privacy of our thoughts

If you think telepathy or mind control is the stuff of science fiction, think again. Advances in artificial intelligence are leading to medical breakthroughs once thought impossible, including devices that can actually read minds and alter our brains.

Dr. Sean Pauzauskie, a Neurologist at UCHealth Poudre Valley Hospital, says there are now about 30 neurotechnology devices for sale on the internet, including Emotiv, which he says is the first commercial-grade brain-to-computer interface, "Anything you want to do, you can move your computer with your mind, and you can control it with your mind using this device."

Pauzauskie says the technology is revolutionizing health care and enabling people who can't move or speak to communicate with just a thought or expression, "You could use this device to move the cursor to the letter that you wanted and then, if you wanted that letter, you could just smile and give the command to enter that." 

Most of the devices sell for $200-$400 and work by peering into your brain and, in some cases, altering it.

Pauzauskie showed us a headband called Somnee, which has sensors that send small electrical pulses into the brain, "So, it is actually modulating and stimulating your brain to help you get a better night's sleep." 

CLICK HERE for the full article.

CLICK HERE to listen to previous podcasts



CLICK HERE to sign up

Baltimore, MD – (June 20, 2024) The Maryland Department of Aging and the Maryland Department of Disabilities are announcing a joint initiative to provide Marylanders who have mobility, medical, and accessibility needs with equipment to help them remain independent in their community.

The new collaborative initiative, Maryland Equips, aims to provide free medical equipment and assistive technology to Marylanders with any disability, illness, or injury who need additional support to remain comfortable and connected. Products available from Maryland’s Durable Medical Equipment Re-use program and High-Tech AT Reuse Center include wheelchairs, power scooters, speech communication devices, bathroom chairs and railing, adapted computer equipment and telephones, home hospital beds, mechanical lifts, magnifiers, and eye-gaze systems, among other adaptive products and services.

Maryland Equips will launch on June 22, 2024, the 25th anniversary of the Olmstead Act, which substantially advanced the rights of people with disabilities. 

“The Olmstead decision was so significant because it shifted public policy to require states to support independence and integration for people with disabilities,” said MDOD Secretary Carol A. Beatty. “Maryland Equips will complement disability programs in Maryland by providing adaptive technology and equipment at no cost to those who need it, impacting thousands of lives by fostering inclusive, community-based options.”

CLICK HERE for full press release.

2) Books We are READING This Week

Conquering Concussion: Healing TBI Symptoms with Neurofeedback and Without Drug

by

C.M. Shifflett and Mary Lee Esty

Time Alone Does Not Heal the Brain. Even "mild" injuries contribute to serious life challenges, including AD(H)D, depression, fog and fatigue, head and body pain, emotional swings, sleep problems, weight gain, crippling anxiety and PTSD. Despite their struggles, victims of head injury are often dismissed as "lazy" or "failing to live up to their potential," adding to confusion and self-doubt. Many do not remember injuries (especially from childhood)...

CLICK HERE to see more.

Looking for Something fun to do in Maryland this weekend? Click the picture below and discover a world of possibilities for things to do this weekend!

Photo by Luisa Frassier on Unsplash

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND!

STAY CONNECTED