Category Archives: Government/Research

Unlikely DOW-NCAA Alliance Rewriting Concussion Science

Military Health System’s Around the MHS video, released on Oct. 21, 2026, opens with the seemingly unlikely pairing of college sports and the Department of War. The video’s news peg was a September meeting on a CARE-SALTOS (Concussion Assessment, Research and Education – Service Academy Longitudinal Mild TBI Outcomes Study) that will follow participants for up to 10 years.

This partnership, though, is over a decade old, begun when the NCAA and the Department of Defense announced a $30 million Grand Alliance at a White House concussion summit in 2014. NCAA chief medical officer Brian Hainline described athletes and service members alike as “young, ambitious, bright risk takers.”

The alliance funded the $7 million launch of the Mind Matters Challenge in 2014, “two concurrent challenges. One, an educational program challenge, aimed at young adults, seek[ing] to identify entities that have the expertise and capability to create compelling and impactful educational materials.” The second challenge focused on research, specifically research on young athletes and service members. The $23 million CARE Consortium (Concussion Assessment, Research and Education Consortium), enrolled more than 53,000 athletes and cadets from 26 schools and four service academies, making it “the largest concussion database of its kind.” One important CARE finding is that recovery is better measured over 28 days than over the old benchmark of 14 days.

OSU Experts Issue First Brain Injury Guidelines for First Responders

Emergency responders review a map beside police, fire, and ambulance vehicles

Police officers, firefighters and paramedics take blows to the head on the job far too often. Acknowledging this, The Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation published the first guidelines to follow for police officers, firefighters, corrections officers, EMTs, and others, in relation to workplace policy, prevention, recognition, diagnosis, mental-health monitoring and return to duty. These guidelines were assembled by 52 experts at The Ohio State University, a public research university, recognizes, “While addressing injury prevention, treatment and return to duty, the recommendations also recognize that better outcomes will require education, supportive reporting practices and organizational cultures that enable first responders to identify injuries and access appropriate care,” and made their findings public on October 16, 2026.

Funded by the Department of Defense, the 28 recommendations borrow from those in place for the military and in sports. They advise testing brain function prior to injury, pulling off duty those with a suspected head injury, checking their mental health, and easing them back to work. Seemingly to somewhat counter OSU’s new rules, the University of Pennsylvania reported in September 2026 that after reporting a brain injury, first responders often, “have to go on desk duty. [They] are taken out of [their] job. There are huge [negative] implications.” The OSU report states that many first responders do not report on their suspected injury due to perception of weakness; perhaps it is fear of being removed from their primary duties.

The Fungus in the Dust That Can Reach Your Brain

Two hikers on a rocky trail overlooking forested canyons and distant mountains

A fungus hiding in Western dirt is sickening Americans at record pace, various publications reported in the past few months. A 2026 CDC study found that, in Arizona’s cooler northern plateaus, infections now run 6.6 times higher than in 2005–2007. In a study published in June 2025, available in the PubMed database, “a nationwide* total of 273,000 incident symptomatic coccidioidomycosis cases were estimated in 2019.” California recorded nearly 12,500 Valley fever cases in 2024, which reportedly is its highest ever. Federal modelers estimate up to 360,000 Americans get sick each year from fungus.

While infections typically affect the lungs, when spores reach the brain, they cause meningitis. As described by the CDC, meningitis is inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord. Among patients hospitalized for Valley fever, 63.6% needed procedures like brain shunts. In one study, half developed hydrocephalus, a buildup of brain fluid, and 39% suffered strokes.

Scanning electron micrograph of fungal spores and branching hyphae, with 10 µm scale bar

“Too many patients are misdiagnosed and left without answers while their condition worsens,” said Congressman Vince Fong (CA) in September 2026. As always, the most important step is to protect yourself, so this misdiagnosis cannot occur. Protect yourself. While avoidance of dusty areas is optimal, it is not always possible. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, along with the CDC and various state governments, recommend wearing an N95 mask when in dusty outdoor environments, and when digging is involved. Ideally, stay fully indoors during dust storms. Also, be cautious about domestic or international travel: in 2023, a fungal meningitis outbreak tied to Mexican cosmetic-surgery clinics killed 12 of 24 US patients. See a doctor about any cough or headache that lingers.

*The number of Valley fever incidents are not recorded in every state, but of those who do, California, Arizona and the rest of the Southwest seem to have the greatest number of cases.

USC Aims to Continuously Track for a TBI

USC engineer Yasser Khan won a 2026 DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) Young Faculty Award on August 28, 2006, to develop a wearable patch for traumatic brain injury, the university reported in October 2026. This new patch would detect biomarkers of inflammation and neural damage, along with stress signals, using miniaturized chemical-sensing transistors. Such technology would give doctors a continuous picture that static CT or MRI scans can miss. Financially, this award will result in approximately $700,000 government backing over two years, though the financial assistance could potentially be up to $1.2 million.

While wearable brain injury detectors do exist, it appears that they measure force, not injury: Prevent Biometrics’ smart mouthguards has been mandatory in World Rugby, the international governing body for the rugby union, since 2024. Soldiers’ Blast Gauge sensors log impacts and blast pressure. Abbott’s i-STAT TBI blood test, BrainScope’s EEG and EyeBOX eye-tracking are one-time clinical checks. The continuous tracking of USC’s still-to-be-developed patch is what makes it unique.

USC frames TBI patients as the beneficiaries, through DARPA backing and planned Defense Department approvals suggest military interest.

UC Leads National Study of Support for Brain Injury Caregivers

The NIH announced on October 6, 2026, that they have provided a R01 grant of $2.5 million to University of Cincinnati researchers. Building on the positive results of an earlier and smaller study, this five-year study is instead a larger national trial of a wellness program for families caring for loved ones with traumatic brain injuries.

Researchers present a $2,450,000 NIH research grant check at UC Health College of Medicine; banner reads “Congratulations on the R01 Grant!” and check names University of Cincinnati, Caregiver Wellness After Traumatic Brain Injury Program, and Dr. Natalie Kreitzer, MD.

Led by Natalie Kreitzer, MD, UC, the Caregiver Wellness After Traumatic Brain Injury Program tests a web- and phone-based program. Caregivers will be guided through personal stress and distress, coping, patient outcomes and cost following a loved one’s traumatic brain injury, in addition to other related topics, such as medical leave, the move from the ICU to rehab, and preparing the home. Involving input not only from UC, but also The Ohio State University, Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Washington, the goal is for 354 patient-caregiver pairs to enroll, with a set start date in early 2027.

Benefits of Tomatoes for the Brain Injured

In a tri and Beyondal indexed in the NLM’s PubMed database (PMC13203555) in May 2026, Antioxidants (a scientific journal from the Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute based in Switzerland) published a study of 42 healthy adults who ate a measured amount of tomato paste daily for three months. At the end of the study, the participants gained 7.2 points on standardized cognitive tests in measurements of concentration. The authors determined that, “neural changes suggest that tomato intake, specifically lycopene, promotes functional reorganization of large-scale brain networks, enhancing neural efficiency and adaptability through the pruning of redundant cross-network interactions.”

Bowl of tomatoes, tomato paste jar, and basil tomato drink on table

Wide news coverage followed the publication of these finding, as it was “the first clinical trial to link changes in the antioxidant lycopene with alterations in functional brain connectivity.” These findings are promising and suggest that the lycopene in tomato paste is beneficial to all, though the study results are limited, as it only examined the effects on healthy participants.

Evidence of the benefit of tomato juice on those with a traumatic brain injury came recently from elsewhere. A 2026 Scientific Reports trial of 67 traumatic brain injury patients found that those given 300mL (1.25 cups) of tomato juice daily for 14 days had a lower C-reactive protein level, a higher Glasgow Coma Scale score and a shortened intensive care unit stay. Clinical investigations have also confirmed that lycopene reduces inflammatory markers and improves gastrointestinal and neurological functions in patients with TBI. 

Incorporating tomato paste and tomato juice into your diet is quite easy, and tasty. For example, thick uncooked tomato paste can be a base for bruschetta. Tomato juice is the base of a (Virgin) Bloody Mary. Additionally, a 2005 NLM-indexed study titled Increases in plasma lycopene concentration after consumption of tomatoes cooked with olive oil shows that tomato products retain lycopene after cooking, so simply adding tomato paste into sauce is beneficial.

Examination of Lindsay Clancy’s Brain

As widely reported, on September 4, the judge declared a mistrial in Lindsay Clancy’s triple-murder trial. Clancy, a former labor and delivery nurse, pleaded not guilty to killing her three children on Jan. 24, 2023. Her defense argued she was suffering from postpartum psychosis, a psychiatric disorder. Prosecutors, however, called on a forensic psychiatrist, who testified that she “retained the capacities that were required for having criminal responsibility,” ABC News reported.

Questions about brain injury came up in the medical testimony. A January 24 jump from a second-floor window, following the strangulation of her kids, left Clancy paralyzed from the waist down. While one doctor testified that Clancy’s head CT was “unremarkable,” as reported by Boston 25, a defense pathologist testified that Clancy did a “freefall dive head first,” causing a C1 (first cervical vertebra) Jefferson fracture.

According to a 2021 report available on the NLM database, “Jefferson fractures with potential tears in the transverse ligament can cause cervical spine instability and can result in neurologic injury if not appropriately diagnosed and managed.” The NLM database also includes the results of a 2011 study on the rare neurological condition Collet-Sicard Syndrome due to Jefferson fracture. The report reveals that the examined patient had decreased gag reflex on the left side, decreased laryngeal elevation, tongue deviation to the left side, and atrophy of the left trapezius. Jefferson fracture, though, does not directly cause cognitive impairment.

Newsweek reported that Clancy had no skull fracture or brain bleed. A psychiatrist testified that Clancy’s brief delirium in the hospital could have been caused by anesthesia, oxygen problems or an elevated heart rate, and that it resolved, reported CBS Boston and Fox News. After the trial, defense attorney Kevin Reddington claimed she came out of “this obvious coma” with “no memory,” CNN reported.

As of now, no decision on whether or not to retry the case appears to have been made.

Christa Pike Survived Her Execution. Did Her Mind?

Tennessee tried to execute Christa Gail Pike via lethal injection on September 30. The convicted killer was unsuccessfully given two doses of pentobarbital. (According to the NLM database, pentobarbital is a barbiturate that primarily acts on the central nervous system. It is approved by the FDA for managing seizures, status epilepticus, and short-term treatment of insomnia. In higher doses, it is an anticonvulsant for emergent seizure control and for inducing medically induced comas.)  Currently, Pike is unconscious and on a ventilator. She has burned and blistered arms, suggesting the drug leaked into tissue instead of her veins. A brain injury is likely but has not been confirmed.

Nearly all execution methods kill by depriving the brain of oxygen. Pentobarbital suppresses breathing. Nitrogen removes oxygen directly. Beyond pharmaceutical means, electrocution can burn the brainstem, and hanging and firing squads cut off blood flow. However, a method may not fully work, as a person can survive a stretch of low oxygen, resulting in hypoxic brain injury.oxygen

Periodic table featuring pentobarbital only

Earlier survivors of pharmaceutical execution, including Romell Broom and Kenneth Smith, lived because staff never got an IV line working. Pike is the first person known to survive after the drugs were given.

In a broader sense, recreational drug overdose often involves medications used in the medical field, but at a much smaller dose. Typically, emergency services come quickly. Reportedly, it took more than an hour for Pike to receive emergency treatment. According to prison protocol, inmates who survive or experience acute medical distress during the process are legally required to be transferred to an off-site medical facility for life-saving care.

Her recovery depends on how long her brain was deprived of oxygen, which is unknown. The law generally allows a second attempt. But if she can no longer understand why she is being executed, Supreme Court rulings forbid it. Gov. Bill Lee has paused executions in Tennessee pending an independent review.

When Bears Attack

Rocky forest trail leading toward snow-capped mountains and winding river

On Sept. 14, a 20-year-old bowhunter near Augusta, Montana, surprised a grizzly near a cow carcass. Badly hurt, the injured man still drove himself home. In May, a mother grizzly with cubs mauled two brothers at Yellowstone. The older brother needed facial reconstruction and care for a head wound.

Unfortunately, head injuries are a relatively common consequence of a bear attack, as bears typically strike the head, face or neck first. These strikes can then result in skull fractures and traumatic brain injury. In one study of 417 bear-attack victims, 55% had head injuries. While bear attacks are rare, roughly 11 brown-bear attacks a year occur in North America. These attacks are clustered, with Alaska, Montana, Wyoming and British Columbia known to be grizzly bear backcountry.

Western governors want control of grizzly management to return to the states. “The endangered species list is not a dean’s list,” Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon said in July. “It’s time that [the grizzly] bear graduates.” Peak season for bear attacks is from July through September, as bears eat up to 20,000 calories a day to fatten up before hibernation.  According to 2024 information found in the NLM database, “upper‐body injury results from bears often attacking from a standing position, targeting the head and neck,” so be wary of a standing bear.

Year round, caution is recommended for those who traverse bear-friendly terrain: carry bear spray, travel in groups and make noise. The U.S. National Park Service and other wildlife authorities advise that if a grizzly attacks, lie face-down with your hands clasped over your neck. Fight back against black bears.

“From Invisible Injury to Precision Medicine” with Metabolism

The mildest brain injuries, the most common, leave no trace on CT or MRI scans. New research says the answer to this conundrum may lie in metabolism, how the injured brain burns fuel.

Diagram of brain glucose metabolism, oxygen use, ATP production, and neuronal energy pathways

In a July 2026 Open Access Government article, VA and University of Washington scientist James Meabon argues that FDG-PET (Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography), which uses a radioactive sugar tracer to show the brain’s glucose use, can expose blast injury where structural scans cannot. Tracking the executive-function problems of 79 blast-injured veterans, this Journal of Neurotrauma study found that a single deep-brain hotspot heightened glucose uptake in the left pallidum.

At the molecular level, a May 2026 npj Metabolic Health and Disease journal review details how blast-related injuries stall the brain’s energy cycle. In particular, metabolites – succinate, lactate, altered pyruvate-dehydrogenase activity – it “spills” into blood and urine.

While the work was funded by the Department of Defense, VA, and NIH, and focused on brain injury in the military, the findings are universally applicable. “By viewing blast injury through metabolism,” Meabon writes, medicine can move “from invisible injury to precision medicine.”