Author Archives: tbionthehill

“Celebrating Value & Talent”

October 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). This year’s theme “Celebrating Value and Talent” recognizes the contributions of workers with disabilities. Despite progress, significant employment gaps persist. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics from February 2025, only 22.7 percent of people with disabilities were employed in 2024, compared to 65.5 percent of those without disabilities.

Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer emphasized the importance of observance this year, stating, “Celebrating America means celebrating the value and talent that all Americans – including people with disabilities – add to our nation’s workplaces and communities.”

As we commemorate this milestone anniversary, all Americans must renew our commitment to creating workplaces that celebrate the value and talent of all workers.

CDC – TBI in the Workplace Facts (8/5/2025)

The Connection Between TBI & Brain Cancer

On September 23, 2025, the University of Missouri School of Medicine reported groundbreaking findings that adults with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury face a 50% increased risk of developing brain cancer. The cancer is defined by malignant tumors that grow rapidly and invade surrounding brain tissue. Brain cancer affects approximately 24,820 Americans annually, according to the American Cancer Society, with a 33% five-year survival rate. Importantly, brain cancer itself is classified as an acquired brain injury—a form of non-traumatic brain damage that disrupts brain function.

The relationship between brain injury and brain cancer involves a fascinating interplay. While brain cancer causes acquired brain injury through tumor growth, research now suggests moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injuries may trigger brain cancer development through inflammation synergizing with existing genetic mutations. Not all brain tumors are cancerous, though. Approximately 72% are benign, even if they are still potentially serious depending on location.

Dr. Nimish Mohile of the University of Rochester notes that, “we’re starting to see progress with targeted therapies in the field of neuro-oncology,” offering hope for improved outcomes. Current NIH Director, Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, highlights that, “an AI-based diagnostic system can determine in just 10 seconds if part of a cancerous brain tumor that could be removed still remains,” demonstrating technological advances in treatment.

Prevention strategies include wearing helmets, preventing falls, and maintaining workplace safety—the same measures that protect against head injuries may reduce brain cancer risk. For those diagnosed with brain cancer, treatment often mirrors brain injury rehabilitation, as well—physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and cognitive rehabilitation. These comprehensive approaches help patients regain function and improve quality of life, with research showing brain tumor patients recover at rates comparable to stroke and traumatic brain injury patients.

The encouraging news is that while moderate-to-severe TBI increases risk, the absolute probability remains low, and advances in early detection and treatment continue to improve outcomes. Still, patients with TBI history may benefit from monitoring for early tumor detection.

Movie Explores Rare Brain Injury Horror

The 2025 film HIM follows a quarterback’s descent into madness after brain trauma. This current wide-release brings cinematic attention to a real medical nightmare: post-traumatic psychosis. This devastating condition is reported to affect 0.7% of traumatic brain injury patients, typically emerging 4-5 years after the initial trauma.

Among those who develop post-traumatic psychosis, research funded by such institutions as the NIH, reveals 92% of patients develop delusions while 87% experience hallucinations, with brain scans showing frontal and temporal lobe damage. Medical literature documents chilling cases, including a man who developed paranoid delusions and personality changes decades after a gunshot wound to his frontal lobe, and another patient who couldn’t recognize familiar people following severe head trauma.

Dr. David Arciniegas, Director of Education at Marcus Institute for Brain Health at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, notes that, “delusions are a core feature of posttraumatic psychosis,” making diagnosis critical. The federal government invests heavily in brain injury research, so hopefully there will soon be more understanding of this condition.

Brain Food in Peak Season

While beetroot peak harvest season is from late summer through October, research demonstrates that its vibrant juice offers remarkable benefits to the brain year round, specifically for brain injury and trauma recovery.

Studies published on the NIH databases and other reputable medical sources, such as that conducted by the University of Exeter and published by Free Radical Biology and Medicine journal in 2025, demonstrate how beetroot juice enhances cerebral blood flow and neuroprotection. “Our findings suggest that adding… beetroot juice – for just ten days can substantially alter the oral microbiome for the better, maintaining healthy brain function and slowing negative vascular changes,” explains Professor Anni Vanhatalo from the University of Exeter.

The scientific benefits of beetroot center on its high nitrate content—up to 11.4 grams per liter—which dramatically improves blood flow to injured brain tissue. Wake Forest University’s 2010 research first proved that beetroot juice increases blood flow to vulnerable brain regions, with researchers documenting enhanced oxygen delivery crucial for neural recovery.

Research at the University at Buffalo from 2023 also showed that beetroot juice can improve cerebrovascular function during stress, noting improved “cerebral autoregulation” mechanisms that protect against brain damage. Stroke recovery research shows 18 stroke survivors experienced increased nitrate levels supporting neural healing after 30 days of supplementation.

Digital Double-Edged Sword for the Brain

With over 4.9 billion active users globally spending an average of 2.5 hours daily on social media platforms, concerns about users’ neurological impact are mounting.

Parental and professional concern is warranted, it seems.  Social media platforms continue promoting risky challenges that can cause brain injuries. For example, the recent “Run It Straight” challenge on TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook involves participants sprinting toward each other and colliding at full force, creating what experts call “engineered systems for brain injury” with impacts similar to that of unbelted car crashes.

The worry, though, goes beyond risky behavior. The landmark July 8, 2025 NIH study “Modern Day High: The Neurocognitive Impact of Social Media Usage” found that social media use causes marked alterations in brainwave activity, with Beta and Gamma waves heightened during engagement and continuing after use, which potentially interferes with emotional regulation and attention.

Statistically, 74% of people with traumatic brain injury (TBI) use the internet. While this may be a lesser amount, compared to 84% of the general population, social media can be of greater risk for the brain injured population. Specifically, those with brain injuries face unique challenges navigating digital spaces due to cognitive impairments affecting memory, attention, and decision-making.

The growing concern has been felt in the government, too. Former Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy recently warned, “Congress has not stepped up to its responsibility to protect our kids. They need to act now” regarding social media’s impact on developing brains. In the past few years, there has been an increase in funding for research into digital wellness and brain health initiatives targeting vulnerable populations. However, if, and to what level, the government should be involved in an individual’s social media activity is very much up for debate.

Yet social media isn’t entirely harmful. Rehabilitation professionals report that it can reduce social isolation for brain injury patients and support community reintegration. Still, “ongoing robust research is urgently required to give rehabilitation professionals an evidence-based framework” for safe implementation.

Your Brain and Lungs Talk to Each Other—And That Could Save Lives

Groundbreaking research published in September 2025 by the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine reveals that brain injuries send deadly molecular messengers throughout the body that directly attack lung tissue. The team discovered the “neural-respiratory inflammasome axis,” where injured brains release tiny particles called extracellular vesicles that travel through blood and trigger lung cell death.

Up to 30% of brain injury patients develop acute lung injury, significantly increasing mortality risk. For decades, doctors assumed this lung damage was just a ventilator side effect, but Miami researchers proved the brain actively sends inflammatory signals that kill lung cells.

The federal government recognizes this critical brain-lung connection. NIH Director Dr. Monica Bertagnolli recently explained to Congress: “We’re finding that this barrier prevents drugs from getting into the brain where they need to work, and we’re finding certain techniques are able to open that barrier,” calling it “an incredible active area of research to bring more effective therapies to those affected by neurologic diseases.”

The research offers unexpected hope. Dr. Kristine O’Phelan, a Miami specialist, discovered that enoxaparin—a blood thinner—provides dual protection. “It is exciting to consider that using enoxaparin for routine prophylaxis of thromboembolic complications may also help our patients by preventing pulmonary complications as well,” she explained.

This discovery demonstrates how research can translate into life-saving applications for brain injury patients.

The “Smart” Mushroom

This week, Wired published a story featuring the Lion’s Mane mushroom. The article includes recipes that use this fungi, which has a distinctive seafood-like texture, such as “crab” cakes and mushroom ragu. Such an article begs the question as to why a publication known for its technological news would choose to focus on an ancient food.

In fact, the Lion’s Mane mushroom has been gaining scientific attention in the past several years for its potential therapeutic benefits, particularly for brain health and traumatic brain injury recovery. Recent research published by the National Institutes of Health has explored this distinctive white, shaggy mushroom’s neuroprotective properties.

This fungi contains unique compounds called hericenones and erinacines that can stimulate nerve growth factor synthesis, which have been shown to aid in cognitive function, memory, and neurological recovery. Studies suggest benefits for conditions ranging from mild cognitive impairment (mTBI) to traumatic brain injury, with additional advantages for immune system support, gut health, and inflammation reduction.

“The mushroom’s capacity to stimulate nerve growth factor (NGF) synthesis has highlighted its potential in preventing and managing neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s,” according to a 2025 NIH research review. Earlier NIH research notes that “erinacine C treatment led to significantly reduced brain inflammation and normalization of mTBI-induced deficits through the modulation of the Nrf2 activation pathway.”

Based on this research, it appears consumption of Lion’s Mane mushrooms could prove beneficial to all people, brain damaged or not. 

(Experts caution that most studies remain in animal models, human clinical trials are limited. Consultation with healthcare providers is recommended before supplementation.)

Navy’s Secret Brain Injury Study

The United States Navy’s secretive Project Odin’s Eye, which studies traumatic brain injuries among elite fighter pilots, has prompted a congressional investigation into the service’s handling of aviator health risks.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (KY) and Military Affairs Subcommittee Chairman William Timmons (SC) are demanding answers about the project, which was launched without formal approval from Navy Medical and Air Commands. The initiative, originally created for Navy SEALs in 2024, quietly expanded to include TOPGUN pilots experiencing brain trauma from repeated catapult launches, high-G maneuvers, and arrested carrier landings.

Last year, Congress responded with the Blast Overpressure Safety Act, which would have required all military branches to track blast exposure and implement baseline brain scans for recruits. H.R.8025 was introduced to the House on April 16, 2024, by Rep. Ro Khanna (CA); S.4109 was presented to the Senate on April 11, 2024, by Elizabeth Warren (MA). Both bills were referred to their respective Committee of Armed Services, but no further action seems to have been taken.

On Monday, September 15, 2025, the independent news source Navy Times published information regarding that current Congressional investigation that reveals the hidden toll these forces take on naval aviators. The article quotes pilots who describe carrier landings as “controlled crashes” that subject their brains to repeated jolting trauma.

Cursive Writing Benefits to Students & the Brain Injured

Cursive writing functions as a complex motor skill that can remarkably persist even when brain injury patients lose explicit memory of how to perform it. This surprising phenomenon occurs because cursive engages procedural memory systems stored in the basal ganglia and cerebellum, which often remain intact when other cognitive functions are impaired. Recent NIH-funded research demonstrates that “attempting to write each letter produces a unique pattern of activity in the brain,” as Stanford’s Dr. Frank Willett explained in a 2025 study. A comprehensive 2025 analysis published by the NIH found that cursive writing creates enhanced connectivity across motor, visual, and memory regions.

For brain injury survivors, studies suggest cursive practice offers superior rehabilitation benefits. Unlike typing, which “relies on repetitive finger movements,” cursive engages “fine motor coordination and smooth transitions between letters,” activating broader neural networks crucial for recovery, according to recent university research. The continuous motor control required for cursive helps rebuild damaged neural pathways and enhances fine motor skills essential for rehabilitation.

Currently, many states have been dropping cursive instruction as a curriculum requirement, but recent neurological evidence has prompted policy reversals. New Jersey State Senator Angela McKnight recently advanced legislation requiring cursive proficiency by fifth grade, stating: “We’re doing our children a disservice by not teaching them a vital skill they will need for the rest of their lives.” California, Kentucky, and New Hampshire have reinstated requirements after recognizing cursive’s cognitive benefits. This resurgence reflects growing understanding that cursive writing enhances memory retention, motor control, and neural integration—benefits particularly valuable for cognitive development and including for those with a brain injury.

Tylenol Under Fire Following 2025 Safety Review

Tylenol (acetaminophen) faces renewed scrutiny over potential links to autism, with significant government attention in 2025. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is expected to release a report this month linking prenatal acetaminophen use to autism spectrum disorder, according to September 2025 Wall Street Journal reporting.

This follows a Mount Sinai study published in August 2025 that applied rigorous methodology to evaluate 46 studies, finding “strong evidence of an association” between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and neurodevelopmental disorders including autism. However, researchers emphasized this shows association, not causation. Prior to 2025, the NIH published a study, Acute acetaminophen intoxication induces direct neurotoxicity in rats manifested as astrogliosis and decreased dopaminergic markers in brain areas associated with locomotor regulation, in 2019. Additionally, in 2023, the University of North Carolina provided the NIH another study, Dangers of Acetaminophen for Neurodevelopment.

The scientific community remains divided. While autism is a neurodevelopmental condition occurring during brain development, early brain injuries can increase risks of similar symptoms due to overlapping characteristics. Tylenol’s widespread use for treating mild brain injuries adds complexity, as it interacts with 160 medications, some prescribed for neurological conditions.

Medical organizations maintain acetaminophen’s importance. “There is no clear evidence that proves a direct relationship between the prudent use of acetaminophen during pregnancy and fetal developmental issues,” stated Dr. Christopher Zahn of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in early September 2025. The drug remains crucial for managing fever and pain during pregnancy, when untreated conditions pose significant risks.

The NIH has been funding substantial autism research this year, with 25 awards from a $50 million initiative in 2025. Regardless of the findings of these studies, individual treatment decisions should always involve healthcare providers, balancing individual risk-benefit assessments rather than broad restrictions.