Colorado residents may want to hear about a new pharmaceutical drug that reportedly has the potential to protect football players and others from suffering brain damage. Researchers have discovered that a drug could be developed from an experimental treatment that was used to restore normal brain functions and structure to mice that had suffered a severe concussion. The focal point of recent concussion news has been football players and boxers diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a progressive neurodegenerative disease resulting from repeated head trauma.
The fibrous tau protein tangles detected in these CTE patients is similar to those observed in people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Researchers discovered that an antibody protein may be used to eliminate misshapen tau that are precursors to the tangles found in CTE and Alzheimer’s patients. The precursors were observed shortly after the mice suffered head trauma. The antibody protein helps the body identify and destruct the damaged proteins.
The treatment was effective in restoring normal brain functions and preventing neurodegeneration in the mice that suffered trauma comparable to the traumatic brain injuries sustained by soldiers and athletes. Researchers now believe that once TBI occurs, the misshapen tau tangles could be the primary catalyst for CTE developing. The National Institute of Health, the Alzheimer’s Association and the NFL funded the recent study. Researchers hope to develop a diagnostic test with the antibody proteins that helps detect any deformed tau shortly after the injury occurs.
A person who has suffered a brain injury due to the negligent or intentional act of another party may want to speak to an attorney about the legal remedies that may exist. In some cases it could be advisable to file a personal injury lawsuit against the responsible party seeking damages for the losses that have been incurred.