The Link Between Brain Injuries and Alzheimer’s Disease

A recent study published in EBioMedicine suggests that a traumatic brain injury or TBI may increase your risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease later in life. A complex and devastating neurological disorder, Alzheimer’s has no known cure, and can cause significant problems for both the individual and for their family and loved ones.

When you’ve sustained a serious traumatic brain injury, our Kentucky and Alabama brain injury attorneys at Hare, Wynn, Newell & Newton, LLP can help you seek the compensation you need. More than just providing coverage for your immediate medical expenses, the recovery from a successful lawsuit can often allow your family to rest easier for the future. In some cases, it can also cover the long-term costs of assisted living and other medical treatments.

CLEAR LINKS BETWEEN BRAIN INJURIES AND ALZHEIMER’S

Although the EBioMedicine study was largely correlative in nature, the research team identified several shocking comparisons between the effects of a traumatic brain injury and Alzheimer’s disease. On the surface level, these conditions are both marked by brain cell death, cognitive impairment, marked memory loss, confusion, and dramatic mood shifts. On a more microscopic level, the same exact categories of cells tend to degenerate in both a TBI and in Alzheimer’s disease.

Because a TBI can degrade the existing brain cells – and impair the clearance systems used to metabolize cells in the brain – the study suggests that the cerebrovascular damage of a TBI can have even longer lasting effects than was thought possible. The hemorrhages, edema, and inflammation caused by a TBI may indeed make it easier for an individual to develop Alzheimer’s later.

LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF A TBI

Like Alzheimer’s, there is technically no “cure” for a TBI. However, all hope is not lost for patients who have sustained a brain injury. With rehabilitative therapy, proper medical treatment, and assisted living care in select cases, victims of a TBI can often recover to something approaching normalcy.

Here are some of the long-term costs that may be incurred by a TBI:

• Immediate hospitalization and ER costs
• Psychiatric assessment and treatment
• Outpatient physical therapy
• Ongoing cognitive behavioral therapy
• In-home assistance
• Training programs
• Cognitive rehabilitation therapy (CRT)
• Assisted living

PURSUING JUSTICE AFTER A BRAIN INJURY

TBIs cost our medical system millions of dollars each year. When your traumatic brain injury was caused because of another party’s negligence, whether in a car accident or during a sports activity, you deserve the fullest compensation available under the law.

To ensure that you’ll be able to cover these expenses and prepare for any future damages, our accomplished Birmingham personal injury firm will be relentless in the pursuit of recovery. As a skilled legal team with more than 125 combined years of experience, we have the knowledge and the ability to see your case through as far as possible, whether inside the courtroom or at the negotiating table.

Call us today at 800-568-5330 for a free consultation!