Colorado patients who have suffered a brain injury may be interested to learn that a British study released on April 1 indicates that head injuries could cause the brain to age prematurely. A lead researcher on the study suggests that a brain injury could set off secondary processes that may lead to damage that develops over time.
The researchers used data from 99 patients who had suffered brain traumas in falls, car accidents or other incidents. Scans of their brains were taken directly after the incident occurred and between one month to 46 years after the incident. These scans were then compared to brain scans that were taken from people who had never suffered brain trauma. Additionally, the brain scans from the injured patients were compared to a computer model that used white matter and gray matter measurements to estimate a person’s age.
Ultimately, the brain scans from those who had suffered a traumatic brain injury showed changes that resembled the brain patterns of individuals who were older than the actual patients. In fact, the ages of the patients’ brain based on the scans were estimated to be five years older than the patients’ real ages. Additionally, they discovered that patients who had suffered a brain injury were more likely to develop dementia or Alzheimer’s over those who did not suffer a brain injury.
Those who suffer a brain injury in a car crash or another accident are likely to sustain a number of related symptoms. If it was determined that the incident that resulted in the injury was caused by another person’s negligence, the injured person may have the ability to file a personal injury lawsuit against the responsible party. The victim could seek compensation for medical bills, rehabilitation expenses and lost wages, among other damages.