Technology and Concussion Recovery
By: Cohen, Placitella & Roth @ Jul 01, 2016
A concussion, according to a fact sheet from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is also known as a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). The CDC explains that TBIs result from a “bump, blow, or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupt the normal function of the brain.” In recent months and years, concussions have been a topic of serious concern for athletes involved in contact sports, as well as for veterans returning from combat.
Researchers continue to learn more about concussion protocols and treatments, but there remains more to be done. According to a recent report in Philly.com, a new health tech firm is in the process of developing a non-invasive brain scan that may be able to help physicians do better at diagnosing or treating brain injuries.
Non-Invasive Brain Scans to Track Concussion Recovery Inside the Brain
The company developing the non-invasive brain scan, ElMindA, got its start in Israel but has close ties to Chicago and to other parts of the country. The health firm is currently known for its Brain Network Activation tests, which helps doctors to assess patients’ brain health. Last year, ElMindA received $28 million in Series C funding, which the company will use to “perform clinical studies, develop its technology, and take it to new clinics,” according to the article.
What is the new technology? In short, it is a brain-scanning device. The device looks like a giant web, which hugs the head like a knit cap. Yet it is not a hat—it is, instead, a net of brain sensors that are intended to indicate how brain stimulation—or ‘neuronal firings’—are behaving under the surface,” the article reports. In short, the net of sensors measures the electrical field of your skull and analyzes it to determine what is happening inside your brain.
How does it impact patients? Given that the technology is, by the nature of its identification, a non-invasive brain-scanning device, it is a relatively straightforward tool that does not result in much—if any—discomfort to patients. According to the Philly.com report, patients simply “wear the sensor net to measure brain activity as they hit a button during a reaction test.” The sensor system uploads that data onto a site where both the patient and her healthcare providers can view and assess the results.
Marketing to Youth Athletes Susceptible to Concussions
The testing system currently is being marketed to you athletes who are particularly susceptible to concussions. ElMindA wants its product to become a useful tool to youth sports teams or to sports organizations such as Pop Warner. The health firm hopes that its device will be used more frequently than when a doctor suspects that a patient has suffered a concussion. Indeed, ElMindA believes brain-scanning tools should be part of most patients’ regular checkups, regardless of whether that patient may have sustained a concussion or a more serious TBI.
Why should healthy patients be assessed with the tool? It can be used for preventive care, the article intimates. To be sure, ElMindA intends for its device to detect early signs of brain deterioration or changes that could signal a bigger problem later on.
If you or someone you love sustained a concussion, an aggressive Philadelphia brain injury lawyer can discuss your options with you. Contact Cohen, Placitella, & Roth, P.C. to learn more about filing a claim for compensation.