Challenges of the Cold Zone   

Whether you call it spacing out, daydreaming, or mind wandering, zoning out reportedly occupies roughly 40% of our daily mental activity. Winter months may make it worse – a 2021 NIH systematic review found that 15 of 18 studies showed cold exposure impairs cognitive performance, particularly attention and processing speed. Neuroimaging research also reveals that brain responses for sustained attention reach their minimum around the winter solstice.

The holiday season poses additional challenges. Studies show 64% of mind wandering is future-oriented, with 44% devoted to planning daily obligations. For children – who are already off-task about 24% of the time, according to 2024 NIH research – anticipating holiday events and presents can overwhelm developing executive function, leading to inattention and emotional outbursts. Adults juggling parties, gift-giving, and travel face similar struggles.

This inattention can carry serious consequences. Zoning out while driving can result in driving activity, or inactivity, that may lead to accidents that negatively affect the driver and others; distracted driving alone killed 3,275 people in 2023, while an estimated 325,000 people were injured that same year – the specific number of traumatic brain injuries that resulted from these accidents is unknown. But NIH-published studies report that the relationship, of course, works both ways, as brain injuries damage frontal lobes essential for focus.

Government health agencies recommend combating attention lapses year-round through adequate sleep of about 7-9 hours nightly, taking short breaks during demanding tasks, breaking large projects into smaller steps, and practicing mindfulness techniques that gently redirect wandering thoughts rather than suppressing them. For brain injury survivors, the recommendations for coping with the winter, in general, and the winter holiday season are much the same: prioritize rest, simplify holiday activities, maintain routines, reduce sensory overstimulation, and practice metacognitive strategies by planning ahead and recognizing limits.

Genetic “Light Switch” Could Turn Off Pediatric Brain Injury

“Epigenetics refers to how your behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect the way your genes work,” reports the CDC. As defined by the NIH National Cancer Institute, a methyl group is, “a small molecule made of one carbon and three hydrogen atoms.” Epigenetic changes can include DNA methylation: this addition of the methyl group to cytosine. (Cytosine is, “chemical compound that is used to make one of the building blocks of DNA and RNA,” notes the NCI.) These modifications, that turn genes “on” or “off” without altering DNA itself, act as a cranial “light switch”, as they, “encode a member of the nerve growth factor family of proteins… promoting binding of this protein to its cognate receptor promotes neuronal survival in the adult brain.”

It may be difficult to fully understand how the aforementioned scientific information relates directly to brain injury, but recent study results further lay out the benefits of DNA methylation in recovery. In December 2025, University of Pittsburgh researchers published findings in the Journal of Neurotrauma related to epigenetics and brain injury. Led by Dr. Lacey Heinsberg and Dr. Amery Treble-Barna, the study examined nearly 300 children at UPMC Children’s Hospital, discovering that children with traumatic brain injuries showed significantly lower DNA methylation of the BDNF gene (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor) compared to children with orthopedic injuries. 

Encouragingly, these negative changes appear reversible. “DNA methylation is dynamic and modifiable, which means it could respond to interventions like diet, exercise and therapy,” Dr. Heinsberg noted. These findings open doors for personalized rehabilitation strategies that could actively improve recovery for children with brain injuries.

Phantom Brain Emerges from NRL/VCU Collaboration

“The word ‘phantom’ may conjure up scary ideas, like ghosts, delusions or fake bank accounts… [but] medical imaging phantoms are objects used as stand-ins for human tissues,” according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology of the U.S. Department of Commerce. “Phantoms offer… comprehensive assessments and iterative optimization of imaging modalities… enabling improvements in their chances of success before human studies,” reported the NIH in May 2024.

Announced December 8, 2025, scientists at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory in Washington D.C. and Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond have developed the first anatomically accurate rat brain phantom capable of measuring traumatic brain injury impacts in real time. This breakthrough emerged from a multi-year partnership between NRL physicist Dr. Margo Staruch and VCU professor Dr. Ravi Hadimani.

The phantom uses a custom gel-like material that mimics real brain tissue’s consistency.  Working like a tiny power generator activated by pressure, an embedded sensor converts physical impacts into measurable electrical signals. It replicates the brain’s distinct layers: skull, cerebrospinal fluid (the protective liquid cushioning the brain), gray matter, and white matter.

“That information can directly inform the design of improved helmets and protective gear, leading to better protection for warfighters and will also contribute to better diagnostic and treatment pathways for TBI,” said Staruch.

Give Your Brain a Gift: Benefit of Creative Activities in Brain Injury Recovery and Beyond

Creative hobbies strengthen brain health in everyone, but they hold particular promise for those recovering from brain injury. Activities like painting, dancing, music, creative writing, pottery, and even certain video games engage multiple brain regions, enhancing memory, coordination, and emotional well-being.

A 2025 study published in Nature Communications, and found in the NIH dababase, examined brain data from over 1,400 participants across 13 countries and found that creative activities can slow brain aging and promote healthier brain function. Lead researcher Dr. Carlos Coronel noted that “these creative experiences help protect brain connections that are vulnerable to accelerated aging.”

Related to brain injury survivors specifically, creative arts therapies show measurable benefits. As President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who suffered significant neurological issues and found solace in creative hobbies during his recovery from polio, declared: “I owe my life to my hobbies.” 2025 research reports in the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, in the NIH database, note that there is increasing use of creative arts therapy for addressing traumatic brain injury, from intensive care units to home health. Studies demonstrate positive impacts on daily living activities, motor function, and emotional well-being. In fact, the neurological changes following brain injury may actually enhance artistic capabilities through increased neural plasticity and synapse formation.

Crucially, these benefits extend beyond formal rehabilitation. Continuing creative pursuits long-term helps maintain neural connections in everyone, making it essential for survivors to keep practicing their creative hobbies. The holiday season offers perfect opportunities—crafting decorations, creating handmade gifts, baking festive treats, and arranging seasonal displays all provide therapeutic engagement.

McNabb Continues to Address “Cruelty”

Over 69,000 TBI-related deaths occur annually in the United States, yet survivors face mockery rather than support:

Recently, Payton McNabb—who suffered a traumatic brain injury during a 2022 volleyball game—was mocked by transgender comedian Stacy Cay, who called footage of McNabb’s injury “pretty funny” and criticized her for falling “like a toddler.” McNabb responded powerfully to those repugnant so-called jokes: “A grown man mocking a teenage girl’s traumatic brain injury isn’t comedy—it’s cruelty.” This is particularly notable since transgender discrimination is often at the foreword of the news and “cruelty” is one note that is used to rightfully describe it.

In schools, students with TBI face bullying from peers and even faculty. As for American adults, the percentage who have had a TBI, and are living with its consequences, ranges from 19-29%, according to recent statistics. Adults experience workplace discrimination in many ways, despite federal protections. These laws, specifically the 1996 TBI Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, ostensibly protect survivors from discrimination but do not eliminate the problem.

Unrelated to McNabb’s trauma, President Trump previously dismissed TBIs as “just a headache”, in reference to service members. This 2020 ignorant statement is, unfortunately, shared by many who have no first- or second-hand experience with brain injury. As commonly is the case for those who interact with those who have a neurological injury, President Trump’s understanding of brain injury and respect for brain injury survivors has since changed. Recently, he honored Payton McNabb at his Congressional address. (McNabb also addressed the North Carolina General Assembly in 2023 and her bio is currently available to view in the congressional record.)

Congressional Visit Highlights CU COMBAT Center’s Great Work

Rep. Jeff Crank (CO, 5th District) recently toured the CU Anschutz Center for COMBAT Research, the nation’s largest academic military health research program. Crank, who serves on the House Armed Services Committee and who’s district is home to five military installations, the United States Air Force Academy and a large veteran population, praised the center’s “great work” saving servicemembers’ lives. (Previously, Crank co-sponsored the bipartisan SMART for TBI Act with Rep. Jason Crow, requiring the military to develop AI-driven traumatic brain injury treatments.)

The COMBAT Center, focused on blast-related injuries, including brain injury, has robust government engagement through over 80 Department of War-funded research grants and educational partnerships with the Defense Health Agency, Uniformed Services University, and the U.S. Air Force Academy. These collaborations have updated 13 military clinical practice guidelines and modernized training for thousands of combat medics.

This partnership between congressional leadership and academic research continues advancing innovative solutions that benefit both military and civilian communities.

Teletherapy Promising for TBI Emotional Recovery

A major government-funded initiative is further advancing the understanding of teletherapy for emotional health challenges following traumatic brain injury. In December 2025, the U.S. Department of War announced a $4.3 million multi-site study testing Building Emotional Self-Awareness Teletherapy (BEST), led by the Hackensack Meridian JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute (NJ) and designed to help brain injury survivors recognize and regulate emotions.

The DoW’s Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs is funding this nationwide study through its Traumatic Brain Injury and Psychological Health Research Program with partner institutions, including the Indiana University School of Medicine, the National Intrepid Center of Excellence, and the University of South Florida. The study will enroll 152 civilian and military participants experiencing emotional dysregulation after mild traumatic brain injury.

The federal government’s exploration into telehealth, in relation to brain injury, has long been studied. As early as 2003, the NIH reported that, “A case study is presented in which teletherapy was successfully utilized to improve the functional outcomes, both physical and cognitive, of a patient with a severe TBI.” More recent government-supported research, led by the University of Washington and UC San Diego and published in July 2025 in Frontiers in Neurology found that telehealth interventions significantly improved depression, anxiety, PTSD, and sleep symptoms in service members with concussions.

Preliminary results are encouraging: 83% of BEST participants reported noticeable improvement in functioning. These developments offer hope that accessible remote therapy can transform emotional recovery for millions affected by brain injury.

Holiday Season’s Favorite Flavor Could Help Brain Injury Recovery

The aroma of candy canes dangling from Christmas trees, the rich sweetness of peppermint bark shared among friends, the warming comfort of peppermint hot chocolate on a cold night, mint is a staple of winter season. Throughout the years, scientists involved in various studies have found that the benefits of mint go beyond taste.

Menthol, mint’s active compound, can be thought of as a targeted healing agent. Millenia ago, Aretaeus of Cappadocia, a physician in the 2nd century AD in Ancient Greece, first documented mint’s effects on the nervous system when he recommended it to treat epilepsy, a possible side effect of brain injury. A 2022 study in the Journal of Neuroinflammation showed it reduced stroke damage and accelerated recovery. How? By calming inflammation in injured brain tissue, ramping up the body’s natural antioxidant defenses, and improving blood flow to areas desperately needing oxygen and nutrients – the trifecta of post-injury healing.

Studies found in the NIH database confirm that mint doesn’t just freshen breath, it strengthens the brain. A 2018 trial discovered that spearmint extract improved working memory by 15%, while 2008 research revealed that simply smelling peppermint enhanced memory and alertness.

Most exciting? A groundbreaking May 2025 study from Northumbria University found that drinking just one cup of peppermint tea significantly boosted memory, attention, and working memory in healthy adults, with effects appearing within mere minutes. “Those people who had drunk the peppermint tea had better long-term memory,” explains Dr. Mark Moss of Northumbria University, whose research appears in NIH databases. That simple cup of tea may do more for your brain than you ever imagined.

While mint may be a star in the winter, you don’t have to limit consumption of the healing potential of this taste to December. Summer brings mojitos and mint juleps mocktails. Mediterranean kitchens toss mint into tabbouleh salad and swirl it into creamy tzatziki. And, of course, fresh mint ice cream is always a tasty dessert. From ancient remedy to modern superfood, this versatile herb truly deserves a spot at your table year-round.

University Pays Millions for Treatment Positioning Outcome

The Iowa State Appeal Board approved a $4.16 million settlement on December 2, 2025, following Conrad Colombo’s catastrophic brain injury during prone (lying flat on stomach) restraint at a University of Iowa Hospital.

Colombo, 38, sought emergency psychiatric help in April 2022 after days without sleep or medication for bipolar and schizoaffective disorder. After striking a security officer during a psychotic episode, 16 University of Iowa Health Care employees restrained him face-down while administering the sedatives droperidol and midazolam. During this time, hospital staff failed to consistently monitor his breathing. When he was finally rolled over, his lips were blue and he had no pulse. Resuscitation took eight minutes and left permanent brain damage.

Such tragedies aren’t isolated. A patient died in Virginia in 2023 during prone restraint at a psychiatric hospital, resulting in an $8.5 million settlement. In Toronto General Hospital, a patient suffered fatal brain injury from restraint asphyxia in 2020.

Instead of prone restraint, experts recommend supine (lying flat on back) positioning, verbal de-escalation, and trauma-informed systems, which can reduce the use of restraints by up to 99%. In 2024, Colorado passed HB 24-1372, which restricts prone restraint.

“A day of humanity and generosity”

Giving Tuesday is, “a gentle reminder that even small acts of kindness – financial or otherwise – can have a big impact on communities. For many nonprofits, the donations they receive on this day help sustain their missions throughout the year,” states the IRS, further noting, “It may be better to give than to receive [as] certain donations made to qualified organizations may be tax deductible.”

This morning, December 2, 2025, it has been reported that, “Trump makes announcement on ‘Trump accounts’ for babies…,” as it was announced, “Michael Dell [the founder, chairman, and CEO of Dell Technologies] will deposit $250 into each qualified child’s investment account, which they said the Treasury plans to launch on July 4, 2026.”

Nonprofits that support the brain injured, through research, care, etc., always need support. While there are many ways to show support, certain organizations, such as the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA), double financial donations on Giving Tuesday.