A Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a brain injury caused by an external force, such as a blow or jolt to the head. It can range in severity from mild, like a concussion, to severe, with lasting effects on the brain’s function.
Here’s a more detailed explanation:
Cause:
TBIs are typically caused by a sudden impact to the head, which can result from a variety of sources like accidents, falls, sports injuries, or assaults.
Mechanism:
The external force can cause the brain to collide with the skull, leading to bruising, tearing of brain tissue, or bleeding within the brain.
Severity:
TBIs can be categorized as mild, moderate, or severe, with different symptoms and long-term consequences
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Effects:
TBIs can affect various aspects of brain function, including thinking, memory, communication, and motor skills. They can also lead to long-term disabilities or even death.
Game-changing Outcomes for Veterans
On average, the researchers revealed that ibogaine treatment immediately led to significant improvements in functioning, PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Better still, those effects persisted for at least 30 days after treatment.
Before treatment, the study participants had an average disability rating of 30.2 on the disability assessment scale, translating to “mild to moderate disability.” One month after treatment, that rating jumped to 5.1, indicating no disability whatsoever.
Participants also revealed dramatic average reductions of 88 percent in PTSD symptoms, 87 percent in depression symptoms, and 81 percent in anxiety symptoms. Finally, cognitive testing also showed improvements in concentration, information processing, memory, and impulsivity.
But the stories these veterans tell convey more than statistical analysis could:
“I wasn’t willing to admit I was dealing with any TBI challenges. I just thought I’d had my bell rung a few times — until the day I forgot my wife’s name. Since [ibogaine treatment], my cognitive function has been fully restored. This has resulted in advancement at work and vastly improved my ability to talk to my children and wife.”
– Craig, a 52-year-old study participant from Colorado who served 27 years in the U.S. Navy.
“Before the treatment, I was living life in a blizzard with zero visibility and a cold, hopeless, listless feeling. After ibogaine, the storm lifted.”
– Sean, a 51-year-old veteran from Arizona with six combat deployments.
Critically, the researchers found no serious side effects or cardiac issues
Researchers report that the psychoactive drug ibogaine seems to promote both structural and psychological improvements in brain health.
In a study, veterans who used the drug reported decreases in PTSD, anxiety, and depression as well as improvements in brain function.
The precise mechanism by which ibogaine works to treat TBI remains unclear, however.
A relatively obscure psychoactive drug could hold promise for treating traumatic brain injuries (TBI), according to a new study Trusted Source involving military veterans.
Researchers from Stanford University in California report that the plant-based psychoactive drug ibogaine, when combined with magnesium to protect the heart, can safely and effectively reduce post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression as well as improve functioning in veterans with TBI.
The drug increases the brain’s ability to heal itself after suffering traumatic injuries, which can result in both structural and functional changes in brain function, according to Dr. Nolan Williams, a study author and an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford.
“There is a physical effect and a psychological effect”.