Traumatic brain injury (TBI) ranges from concussions that resolve in weeks to severe injuries causing long-term disability. Roughly 1.5 million Americans sustain a TBI each year. Treatment has focused on preventing further damage and managing symptoms, but no drug has been approved specifically to promote brain healing after injury.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing drugs that reduce brain inflammation after injury, compounds that may protect nerve cells from dying, and approaches to improve cognitive recovery and reduce headaches. Some studies explore whether existing drugs like progesterone or statins can improve outcomes when given soon after injury. Research also addresses chronic symptoms that persist months or years after concussion.
Inflammation control
Several trials test anti-inflammatory drugs given in the hours or days after moderate or severe TBI. The goal is to calm the brain's immune response, which can worsen damage even after the initial injury.
Chronic post-concussion symptoms
Studies are testing treatments for headaches, dizziness, memory problems, and mood changes that persist after mild TBI. Some trials focus on specific symptoms like migraine-type headaches.
Blood-based biomarkers
Research is validating blood tests that detect proteins released by injured brain cells. These tests could help doctors decide who needs a CT scan and predict recovery.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on injury severity (mild, moderate, or severe), time since injury, specific symptoms, and whether other injuries are present.
What types of trials are currently open
- Acute treatment trials — Testing drugs given in the emergency room or ICU to reduce brain swelling, inflammation, or nerve cell death after moderate or severe TBI.
- Concussion recovery trials — Studies of treatments for mild TBI, often testing whether early intervention can prevent long-lasting symptoms.
- Chronic symptom trials — Testing treatments for headaches, cognitive problems, sleep issues, or mood symptoms that persist months or years after injury.
- Rehabilitation trials — Comparing different approaches to physical, occupational, or cognitive therapy to improve recovery after TBI.
- Observational studies — Following people over time to understand how TBI symptoms evolve and what factors predict who recovers fully versus who develops chronic problems.
Recently added Traumatic Brain Injury trials
Non-Thermal Plasma to Reduce Recurrence in Chronic Subdural Hematoma
The goal of this randomized controlled trial is to evaluate whether the adjuvant application of non-thermal plasma (NTP) during standard surgical drainage of chronic subdural hematoma (cSDH) can reduce the recurrence rate at 6 months. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does NTP application significantly lower the radiological and clinical recurrence rate of cSDH compared to surgery alone? * Is NTP safe when applied to the subdural space and surgical wound bed? * Does NTP improve functional outcomes and time to hematoma resolution? Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: * Experimental group (n = 20): Standard burr hole drainage or craniotomy plus intraoperative NTP application over the exposed dura mater, the residual membrane, soft tissue layers, and the skin incision. * Control group (n = 20): Standard surgical drainage alone (no NTP). Follow-up includes clinical assessments and computed tomography (CT) scans at 1 week, 3 months, and 6 months post-surgery. The primary outcome is recurrence (symptomatic reaccumulation requiring re-intervention or ≥50% volume increase on CT).
Socio-Cultural Level, Health Literacy, and Parental CT Demand in Paediatric Minor Head Trauma: A Prospective Cohort Study
Minor head trauma is one of the most frequent reasons for paediatric emergency department visits worldwide. The PECARN (Paediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network) clinical decision rule stratifies children with minor head trauma into low-, intermediate-, and high-risk categories for clinically important traumatic brain injury (ciTBI) and provides evidence-based guidance on computed tomography (CT) ordering. Despite its high diagnostic accuracy, real-world CT utilisation frequently diverges from PECARN recommendations. Non-clinical family-level factors - including socio-cultural characteristics and health literacy - may drive part of this divergence, particularly through their influence on whether families explicitly request CT imaging. This prospective observational cohort study will enrol 200 children with minor head trauma presenting to the emergency department of SBU Bursa Yuksek Ihtisas EAH, Bursa, Turkey. The primary aim is to determine whether family socio-cultural level (composite index incorporating education, occupation, income, and housing; scored 0-10) and health literacy (Newest Vital Sign-Turkish, NVS-TR) independently predict parental demand for CT imaging. Secondary aims include determining whether parental CT demand and family socio-cultural characteristics predict CT ordering by the treating physician, describing PECARN algorithm adherence patterns in this setting, and examining parental health-seeking behaviour at 7-day telephone follow-up.
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