Georgia Injury Law Blog
Atlanta Researchers to Test Effects of Progesterone Hormone in Brain Injury Treatment
As car accident lawyers in Atlanta, we often come across patients with serious brain injuries after an automobile or motorcycle accident. These injuries are some of the most severe a person can suffer, and also some of the most difficult to treat. In fact, there has been no significant progress in the treatment of brain injury for many years now.
That may be about to change, and in our very own Atlanta at that. Researchers at Emory Hospital will soon begin clinical trials into the effects of a female sex hormone that could limit the effects of a brain injury.Progesterone is a hormone that helps support pregnancy. Researchers believe that this hormone if injected soon after a brain injury could help limit the extent of the injury and prevent disability or death. This new trial will be lead by Doctor David Wright at Atlanta’s Emory hospital. According to Dr. Wright, Traumatic Brain Injury involves swelling, inflammation and destruction of neuron cells, and progesterone seems to have beneficial effects on all of these.
Research into the effects of progesterone on brain injury is nothing new. A quarter century ago, studies proved that progesterone does act as a protective barrier over brain cells. The researchers don’t know yet how progesterone will help limit brain damage after a serious injury, but it is hoped that it will restrict self destruction of the neuron cells, and prevent inflammation.The hormone is injected about 4 hours after the injury occurs.
The Food and Drug Administration has given the trial permission to bypass consent from the patient or family members before injecting the hormone.So, doctors can go ahead and inject the hormone if they don’t receive consent from the patient (who may likely be unconscious) or family members within an hour.
The Atlanta injury lawyers at the Katz Personal Injury Lawyers represent injured victims of brain injury as a result of a car, truck or motorcycle accident, industrial accident, slip and fall accident or other causes.