Author Archives: tbionthehill

Internasal Exploration of Brain Injury Treatment

Zunveyl (benzgalantamine) tablets are used to treat Alzheimer’s, FDA-approved in July 2024. Through a $750,00 grant, awarded by the Department of Defense AMRMC, Army Medical Research and Material Command to Alpha Cognition, the manufacturer behind Zunveyl, has since been exploring its additional treatment possibilities. In a January 8, 2026 press release, CEO of Alpha Cognition CEO Michael McFadden stated, “We are exploring Zunveyl and its effect on cognitive impairment with mild Traumatic Brain Injury [for which there no current FDA-approved treatment].”

The scientific rationale behind Zunveyl, not as a tablet, but as an internasal formation, for brain injury centers on acetylcholine* disruption following a TBI. Studies have shown that this delivery system achieves 10-fold higher brain concentration compared to oral administration.

*Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter that relays signals between nerves and muscles for voluntary movement, triggering muscle contraction at the neuromuscular junction; it also plays crucial roles in the brain for learning, memory, attention, and in the autonomic nervous system for functions like heart rate, digestion, and breathing, acting as both an excitatory and inhibitory messenger depending on the receptor)

Lawsuit to Take Down Austin Police for Takedown Consequences

On January 6, 2026, Natalie Gialenes reportedly filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Austin and a former Officer following a December 2024 incident that reportedly caused her a traumatic brain injury. Gialenes contends that while handcuffed for public intoxication, she bent down to retrieve her dropped ID when a police officer threw her to the ground. Her head struck the pavement with an audible impact that caused bleeding. Her attorney reports she now experiences cognitive difficulties that will affect her for life, including forcing her to withdraw from paralegal school. The Austin Police Association, however, maintains that Gialenes was highly intoxicated, had admitted using cocaine and alcohol, and pulled away from the officer during escort, requiring the takedown to maintain control.

Since 1989, officers have been subject to the Supreme Court order defined in federal Graham v. Connor, which includes the statement, “the facts and circumstances related to the use of force should drive the analysis, rather than any improper intent or motivation by the officer who used force.” Police takedowns are physical control techniques designed to bring suspects safely to the ground, occurring in approximately 21% of use-of-force incidents nationwide. Research indicates injury rates when force is used are estimated in a wide range, from 17 – 64%, with most injuries being minor bruises or strains. Data from the University of Illinois Chicago’s Law Enforcement Epidemiology Project states that 12.6% of civilians hospitalized from law enforcement encounters suffered traumatic brain injuries.

Texas law, as will law in all 50 states, mandates comprehensive use-of-force training for all officers. This training emphasizes de-escalation and proportional response. As Texas Government Code states, officers must provide “first aid or treatment to the extent of the officer’s skill and training” when encountering injured persons. Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis indefinitely suspended the Officer, calling his actions “reprehensible.”

Two NIH-Funded Studies Offer Hope for Preventing Neonatal Brain Injury in 2026

As reported in the NIH database in November 2025, “In recent years, there has been increasing interest in identifying and validating biomarkers capable of predicting the onset and progression of IVH, as well as other forms of neonatal brain injury.“ Two studies published this month offer fresh hope for preventing and treating neonatal brain injuries, conditions that affect thousands of American infants each year and can lead to lifelong disabilities.

Detailed in Pediatric Research on January 3, a comprehensive care model demonstrates how integrated treatment from prenatal care through early childhood can improve outcomes for at-risk newborns. Of the approximately 3.6 million babies born annually in the United States, about 10 – 15% require Neonatal Intensive Care Unit admission. The collaborative program addresses what researchers call a critical window, as “injuries during these stages can lead to lifelong disabilities.”

Meanwhile, Stanford University researchers reported January 5 in the Journal of Perinatology that advanced monitoring techniques can better predict dangerous brain bleeds in premature infants. Their study of 482 preterm babies found that low cerebral oxygenation increases mortality risk more than fourfold.

Both studies build upon past NIH-supported research through the Neonatal Research Network.

NIH Hypoglycemia-Fall Studies Explain “Marvel” Actor’s Trauma

When Marvel actress Evangeline Lilly fainted and fell face-first onto a Hawaiian boulder in May 2025, she sustained a brain injury. During her beach outing, the actress fainted and fell face-first onto a boulder, resulting in brain damage affecting “almost every area” of cognitive function. Last week, as has been widely reported, the actress revealed on Instagram that recent brain scans confirm lasting damage from this fall.

As to her prior medical history, Lilly has revealed that she suffers from hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. Since she was a child, she has explained that she would have fainting spells due to this condition. Hypoglycemia-induced falls can lead to traumatic brain injury. (While such falls can happen at any age, older adults with diabetes are particularly at risk.) NIH-published studies have documented this dangerous cascade. Research found in the NIH PubMed database confirms that hypoglycemia can trigger loss of consciousness and substantially increase fall risk. A 2025 study examined how hypoglycemia-induced falls cause distinctive brain damage patterns affecting the hippocampus, cerebral cortex, and basal ganglia. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine, funded by NIH grants, found that hypoglycemic brain injuries differ from other trauma types, causing widespread neuronal death when glucose levels drop critically low.

The “Lost” star now faces what she calls an “uphill battle” for recovery that is an all too familiar journey experienced by many from this medically recognized connection.

New NYC Mayor’s Socialist Vision Raises Questions for Brain Injury Care

Zohran Mamdani, New York City’s incoming ‘democratic socialist’ mayor, has declared that “socialism means a commitment to dignity, a state that provides whatever is necessary for its people to live a dignified life.” Mamdani’s personability and acronymic political stance gained the support of the majority of the City’s voting public. For New Yorkers with brain injuries, this philosophy carries both promise and peril.

Some socialist healthcare systems have demonstrated genuine achievements in brain injury rehabilitation. Denmark’s centralized model delivers specialized rehabilitation to 84% of severe traumatic brain injury survivors, far exceeding other nations. Cuba’s CIREN [International Center for Neurologic Restoration, located in Havana] self-reports that it “has gained international recognition for its innovative approaches to neurological treatment and rehabilitation”, since its founding in 1989.

Lest this political stance be seen only for its benefit, troubling patterns emerge. Sweden’s universal healthcare system reaches only 46% of its most severe TBI patients with specialized care. Cuba, despite world-renowned facilities, suffers 70% medication shortages that cripple daily care. The Soviet Union’s legacy of “there are no invalids in the USSR” reminds us that socialist rhetoric can mask institutional neglect.

Mamdani’s proposed $363 million mental health investment and public hospital commitments sound transformative. If enacted, and beyond the fact that the City likely will not be able to achieve that number because of movement from the City after the needed massive tax hikes, these grand plans often stumble against bureaucratic realities. Simply, many highly skilled doctors may relocate. Ultimately, whether Mamdani’s vision delivers meaningful improvements for brain-injured New Yorkers or becomes another case of ambitious promises meeting harsh constraints remains uncertain. For now, cautious observation is wisest – New Yorkers must wait and see.

Stroke Detection Mandate Comes to RAA

Richmond Ambulance Authority became Virginia’s first government-funded emergency medical service to train staff on advanced stroke detection, implementing the American Heart Association’s Essential Stroke Life Support program in December 2025. The initiative equips approximately 175 paramedics and EMTs with the BEFAST protocol – assessing balance, eyes, face, arms, speech, and symptom timing – allowing strokes to be identified faster.

During an untreated stroke, 1.9 million neurons die every minute, according to NIH-funded research. Patients receiving early treatment for this brain injury show remarkably improved outcomes, with some studies reporting 40% relative increases in independent ambulation.

With reports showing that approximately 205,000 annual EMS activations nationwide are related to suspected stroke, prehospital detection is critical. Stroke continuing education mandates, though, remain limited. States with requirements include Massachusetts, New Jersey, Virginia, California, Illinois, North Carolina, and Texas. New Jersey law N.J.S.A. 27:5F-27.1 mandates that “each emergency medical services [EMS] provider… shall incorporate training on the assessment and treatment of stroke patients”.

“Time is tissue,” explained RAA Training Coordinator Harold Mayfield. “[Most] brain tissue does not regenerate. The sooner we identify and treat, the better the outcome.”

Federal Funding Advances “Holy Grail” of TBI Diagnosis

A Boston company developing a non-invasive way to detect dangerous brain swelling after traumatic brain injury has received $5.5 million in federal funding from the NIH Blueprint MedTech Program and Department of War’s Joint Warfighter Medical Research Program.

This new non-invasive technology, CranioSense, uses a forehead patch and clip-on sensors to detect elevated pressure without surgery and could transform TBI emergency care. Currently, measuring intracranial pressure – which if elevated can cause brain damage, coma, or death – requires drilling into the skull. This limits testing of brain swelling to only the most critical patients, meaning only approximately 2% of TBI patients ever have their brain pressure measured.

A retired U.S. Army Special Operations Command consultant called the new technology “a ‘Holy Grail’ of prolonged casualty care” that addresses “one of the biggest gaps in monitoring critical casualties.”

The December 2025 grants will support device development and validation ahead of FDA approval. If cleared, the system could make brain pressure assessment “as routine as blood pressure measurement” in emergency rooms, on battlefields, and at accident scenes – catching dangerous swelling early when intervention can save lives.

Should 2026 Fiscal Year Funding Signage Concern the Brain Injured?

President Trump signed S.1071 into law on December 18, 2025. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 was sponsored by Sen. John Cornyn (TX), and co-sponsored by Sen. Ted Cruz (TX), and received bipartisan support in Congress. The House passed the measure 312-112 on December 10, with the Senate approving it 77-20 one week later.

Similar to the redesignation of the Department of Defense as the Department of War, the $900 billion defense package appears to focus more on military action than research  As early as May 2025, ESPN reported, “The Trump administration’s 2026 fiscal budget request to Congress eliminates major federal funding for traumatic brain injury (TBI) research and education, potentially undercutting efforts to address head injuries in sports, particularly at the high school and youth levels.” The 2024 funding bill also included decreased funding for brain injury research. 

Whether the bill affects treatment options and research, and to what level, is to be seen.* It appears that some broader funding can be given to any study, even if it goes above the mandated TBI research amount. Additionally, most of the plentiful research I report on seems to be unrelated to the Department of War.

*Only one day prior to the signing of S.1071, Rep. Lori Trahan (MA) introduced H.R.6823 – “To direct the Secretary of Defense to establish a pilot program to facilitate the development of certain traumatic brain injury diagnostics for members of the Armed Forces.” On that day, December 17, 2025, it was referred to the House Committee on Armed Services. Since that time, no further action has been taken.

Molecular Drug Carrier Turns Out Be Drug Itself

A four-amino-acid peptide called CAQK (Cysteine-Alanine-Glutamine-Lysine) has emerged as a promising therapeutic candidate for traumatic brain injury. This artificially produced peptide was first discovered in 2016 by researchers at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (CA) – it’s like a delivery drone that scientists built to recognize those specific warning signs and go directly to them

Since that time, the National Institutes of Health has continued to support CAQK research through multiple grants, such as a 2025 $2.5 million SBIR award to AivoCode, the biotech company developing CAQK for clinical trials. A resulting 2025 study published in EMBO Molecular Medicine revealed that CAQK possesses intrinsic neuroprotective properties – reducing lesion size, decreasing cell death, and alleviating neuroinflammation in mice with brain injuries. This discovery transforms CAQK from merely a drug delivery vehicle into a potential standalone treatment – a significant advancement in neuroscience research.

Brain Injury Prevention on the Slopes

Katie Watt, captain of the Bates College Nordic ski team, filed suit in December 2025 after a 597-pound unsecured bench shelter struck her during track practice in October 2024, causing a skull fracture and traumatic brain injury. The case, still pending, alleges the college failed to anchor equipment despite 30 mph winds.

Maine’s ski statute 32 M.R.S. §15217 establishes that skiers accept inherent risks, including terrain, weather, and collisions, “as a matter of law,” while preserving claims for negligent operation or maintenance. Similar statutes exist in Colorado, New Hampshire, and Utah, while Vermont statues uniquely void all liability waivers. (I was told by a lawyer that, based on their experience in New Jersey, a ski slope operator is culpable only when gross negligence is proven, such as if they dug a deep hole in the slope terrain.)

Evidence-based TBI prevention emphasizes helmet use which reduces head injury risk by 29-60%. Additionally, avoid terrain parks (31% higher head injury risk), and stop skiing by mid-afternoon when 40% of injuries occur. Groomed intermediate runs, proper lessons, and pre-season conditioning significantly reduce risk.

With proper precautions, skiers can enjoy the slopes safely while understanding their legal responsibilities.