Category Archives: Government/Research

Nanotherapy from Cancer to Brain Injury

In June 2025, Case Western Reserve University and University of Cincinnati researchers received an Air Force Research Laboratory grant to develop nanotherapeutics for traumatic brain injuries and hemorrhages. Nanotherapy is a medical approach using nanoparticles—tiny therapeutic devices ranging from 1-100 nanometers in size, similar to biological molecules like proteins. The CWRU research team created synthetic platelets from nanoparticles called liposomes that mimic natural platelet functions to stabilize blood clots and reduce bleeding in complex injury scenarios. Nanotherapies already help cancer patients by improving drug targeting and reducing systemic toxicity while enabling sustained drug release. The government and research institutions are optimistic about this technology’s potential to transform trauma care, offering critical solutions for battlefield medicine, mass casualty events, and emergency situations where traditional blood transfusions are unavailable, ultimately bridging gaps between battlefield needs and real-world medical challenges for both military personnel and civilians.

Put Rosemary on the Menu

While rosemary has graced Mediterranean kitchens for centuries, modern science is uncovering this fragrant herb’s remarkable potential as a brain protector and healer. Recent research conducted by the NIH and other entities reveals that rosemary may offer significant therapeutic benefits for those recovering from brain trauma, while also providing cognitive enhancement for healthy individuals.

Studies on animal models with repetitive mild traumatic brain injury have shown that rosemary extract dramatically improves cognitive deficits that typically follow such trauma. The herb’s active compounds, particularly carnosic acid and rosmarinic acid, demonstrate powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that protect brain cells from the harmful free radicals and inflammation that flood the brain after injury. Research published in NIH databases shows rosemary treatment prevents neuronal degeneration and reduces harmful brain cell activation in the hippocampus, a region crucial for memory formation.

In experimental models of stroke and brain injury, rosemary extract significantly reduced brain tissue damage, improved neurological function scores, and decreased dangerous brain swelling. Animals treated with rosemary showed better performance on memory tasks and improved spatial learning abilities. The herb enhances blood flow to the brain, delivering vital oxygen and nutrients needed for healing while supporting natural repair mechanisms.

Beyond trauma recovery, rosemary offers impressive benefits for everyone’s brain health. The herb contains 1,8-cineole, which prevents the breakdown of acetylcholine, a key brain chemical essential for learning and memory. Studies with healthy individuals show that simply inhaling rosemary’s scent can improve memory performance and concentration. University students taking rosemary supplements for one month demonstrated significantly enhanced memory abilities compared to those taking placebos.

Rosemary also helps reduce stress and anxiety by lowering cortisol levels, while its antioxidant properties protect against age-related cognitive decline. Ancient Greek students wore rosemary garlands during exams to boost focus, and Shakespeare called it “the herb of remembrance” – wisdom that modern research now validates.

Whether recovering from brain injury or simply seeking to optimize cognitive function, rosemary represents a natural, accessible option for brain health. However, those with medical conditions should consult healthcare providers before using rosemary therapeutically.

Link: AI Shaping the Future of Neurorehabilitation

Just as it assists in other medical issues & care, artificial intelligence is a significant aide in the short & long term outcomes of those with a brain injury.  In March 2025, the NIH released a comprehensive evaluation of such information.  This report links to 134 references that provide more information on said topic.  (I am quite happy that I came across this page.  This weekend, I will be looking through some of the linked studies.)

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11943846/#abstract1

Texas First to Fund New Psychedelic Research

Texas has made history by becoming the first state to allocate significant public funding for psychedelic medicine research. Governor Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 2308 into law in June 2025, committing $50 million to FDA-approved clinical trials of ibogaine, a psychedelic compound derived from an African shrub.

The groundbreaking legislation represents the largest government investment in psychedelic research to date, positioning Texas as a global leader in this emerging field. The initiative aims to develop FDA-approved treatments for opioid addiction, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and PTSD—conditions that have devastated countless lives across America.

Rick Perry’s Pivotal Role

Former Texas Governor Rick Perry has emerged as an unlikely but passionate advocate for ibogaine research. His involvement began through his relationship with Navy SEAL veterans Marcus and Morgan Luttrell, who found relief from combat-related trauma through ibogaine treatment in Mexico. After witnessing their remarkable recoveries, Perry dedicated himself to advancing this cause, even launching the nonprofit Americans for Ibogaine.

“I’ve spent most of my adult life in public service, and few things have moved me like what I’ve witnessed with this psychedelic drug,” Perry wrote in a recent op-ed, describing how ibogaine helped veterans overcome years of opioid dependence and psychological trauma.

Promising Results for Brain Injury

Recent Stanford Medicine research found that ibogaine, when combined with magnesium for heart protection, safely reduced PTSD symptoms by 88%, depression by 87%, and anxiety by 81% in combat veterans with traumatic brain injuries. The treatment appears to promote neuroplasticity, potentially helping the brain repair itself after injury.

While primarily focused on veterans, the research could benefit anyone suffering from brain trauma, including athletes with concussion-related injuries and accident victims. Texas’s historic investment may lead the way to finally bringing this promising treatment to American patients who have long traveled abroad seeking relief.

Texas SB 2308: https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB2308

Government’s Critical Role in Toxic Exposure Crisis

Burn pits are massive open-air waste disposal sites used extensively by the military in combat zones. Specifically, from 2001 to 2011 in Iraq and Afghanistan, these giant outdoor incinerators were used to burn everything from plastics and medical waste to chemicals, batteries, ammunition, and office equipment, which resulted in the release of dangerous cocktails of carcinogens and toxic chemicals into the air that service members breathed daily. The Department of Defense estimates that 3.5 million troops were exposed to this toxic smoke during recent wars, making burn pit exposure one of the most widespread environmental hazards faced by military personnel.

While outcomes to exposure to these burn pits involving respiratory and cancer risks have previously been exposed, groundbreaking research released in July 2025 has revealed alarming long-term neurological consequences. A study of 440,000 veterans, conducted by the National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense, and Department of Veterans Affairs found that troops exposed to burn pit smoke had dramatically higher rates of brain injuries and psychological trauma. Veterans who lived near burn pits for at least 129 days were 27% more likely to experience severe stress symptoms and 37% more likely to suffer brain injuries compared to those at cleaner bases. Those with extended exposure of over 474 days showed 68% higher rates of severe stress and 124% increased likelihood of brain damage. More so, 90% of troops who died by suicide had served at bases with large burn pits for extended periods. The reason for these increases and terrible results appears to be exposure to toxic chemicals which disrupt brain function and neurotransmitters.

The military has responded with comprehensive reform measures. The Department of Defense has closed most burn pits and plans to eliminate all remaining sites. The 2022 PACT Act expanded healthcare and disability benefits for millions of veterans exposed to toxic environments, while 2025 H.R. 1, One Big Beautiful Bill Act, allocates $2 billion to defense health programs. These efforts represent crucial progress toward comprehensive care for veterans facing the invisible wounds of toxic exposure.

Political Ideology After Brain Injury

A brain injury is undeniably a significant event in one’s life, but whether it permanently changes a person’s political views and/or affiliation seems an individual matter.  Those across the pond, though, have found that the level to which one holds these ideologies may be altered by this traumatic event, specifically heightened.

Found on the NIH website, an Oxford University study published this spring determined, “political involvement was more intense after lesions connected to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and posterior precuneus… in conservative-leaning participants. Political involvement was less intense after lesions connected to the amygdala and anterior temporal lobe… in liberal-leaning participants.”

NOTE: The UK traditionally leans more socially liberal than America. Would the results of this study have the same conclusion if analyzed with United States participants?

NIH link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40117387/

Brain regions: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_regions_in_the_human_brain

Government Moves Regeneration to the FRONT

The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) has unveiled its transformative Functional Repair of Neocortical Tissue (FRONT) program, a bold five-year initiative aimed at developing curative therapies for millions of Americans suffering from chronic brain damage. This groundbreaking program positions the United States as the global leader in brain repair technology.

Under the current leadership in Washington, FRONT addresses one of America’s most pressing health challenges. HHS Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill emphasized the program’s potential to “deploy regenerative medicine to transform the treatment of neurological diseases and relieve the suffering” of millions affected by strokes and traumatic brain injuries.

The program targets the neocortex, the brain’s largest region responsible for sensory perception, motor control, and higher cognitive functions. Currently, damage from stroke, trauma, or neurodegeneration leaves patients dependent on costly, limited therapies. FRONT aims to revolutionize treatment by using cutting-edge stem cell technology to regenerate brain tissue and restore lost functions.

“This will enable millions of individuals with what is currently considered permanent brain damage to regain lost functions, such as motor control, vision, and speech,” said FRONT Program Manager Jean Hebert, Ph.D.

The economic impact is remarkable. Brain damage costs the U.S. healthcare system over a trillion dollars annually, while FRONT is projected to save approximately $800 billion annually and recover lost taxable income from affected individuals.

The program prioritizes veteran support, targeting traumatic brain injuries—a leading cause of military disability. FRONT will use exclusively adult-derived dedifferentiated stem cells, ensuring ethical development while maintaining scientific rigor.

ARPA-H is soliciting proposals through September 25, 2025, focusing on graft tissue generation and engraftment procedures. With strict performance metrics designed to prepare for human clinical trials, FRONT offers unprecedented hope to over 20 million Americans with chronic neocortical brain damage and their families.

(For more information, visit the FRONT program page: https://arpa-h.gov/explore-funding/programs/front)

MO Brings Oxygen into TBI Recovery

Missouri has demonstrated remarkable commitment to our veterans with the ratification of SB 664 on July 14, 2025.  The “Veterans Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment and Recovery Act,” was passed with overwhelming support of 33-0 in the Senate and 156-1 in the House. Governor Mike Kehoe signed this groundbreaking legislation on Monday, establishing a fund to reimburse HBOT facilities treating veterans with TBI or PTSD, recognizing the treatment’s potential to combat veteran suicide and opioid addiction. The initiative represents a projected investment exceeding $5 million annually, underscoring the state’s confidence in this therapeutic approach.

HBOT works by delivering 100% oxygen in pressurized chambers at 1.4-3 times normal atmospheric pressure, dramatically increasing oxygen delivery to damaged brain tissues. Advocates report that this treatment “stimulates brain wound healing and can reverse soft tissue and neurocognitive damage” without requiring invasive surgery or pharmaceutical interventions. Patients can “experience recovery of cognitive and neurological functioning” through this non-invasive approach.

Clinical research has yielded encouraging results across multiple studies. For moderate-to-severe TBI cases, several high-quality studies demonstrated statistically significant improvements in consciousness recovery compared to standard care alone. Research has consistently shown better Glasgow Outcome Scale scores and reduced mortality rates in HBOT treatment groups. A comprehensive 2016 review highlighted that “most successes occurred within hours after TBI,” emphasizing the importance of early intervention. Particularly compelling evidence comes from pediatric research, where a study of 56 children with severe TBI found that HBOT “significantly improved quality of life and reduced complications” compared to control groups. Additional research involving 56 patients showed “significant improvement in symptoms and increased brain activity” measurable through SPECT brain imaging.

The treatment maintains a generally acceptable safety profile, with most side effects being minor and temporary, including ear discomfort, headaches, and fatigue. Serious adverse events remain rare when HBOT is properly administered. This positive safety record, combined with growing clinical evidence and strong legislative support, has led some VA facilities to begin offering HBOT treatment to veterans, representing an important step toward broader acceptance of this promising therapeutic intervention.

Pandemic Accountability

About seven months ago, the U.S. government declared the COVID pandemic “over”.  As part of going forward, on May 9th, 2023, President Biden signed an Executive Order titled, “Moving Beyond COVID-⁠19 Vaccination Requirements for Federal Workers.”  Federal workers previously were required to get the COVID vaccine.  Currently, the vast majority of Americans walk in public without masks or fear.  However, the repercussions of government policies, actions and opinions about COVID-19 linger for some Americans.

Millions of people, in America and beyond, were initially eager to receive the vaccine shot, after their lives had been essentially halted for months due to the unforeseen COVID virus.  Before taking the jab, neither American citizens nor the government had information regarding its long-term effects. Soon after, though, we all became better educated on the topic.  “It was like playing Russian roulette,” said a father about the COVID-19 vaccine.  His previously healthy son died after receiving a dose of the Pfizer vaccine in April 2021.  In Louisiana, another such calamity occurred, this time with the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine.  The healthy 16-year-old woman who received the vaccine shot in April 2021 was left with a brain injury.  “Now, after three brain surgeries and thousands of hours of physical therapy, she struggles to walk, write, and care for herself,” says the lawsuit, filed in Louisiana, about the vaccine’s lifelong consequences for this woman. 

Last year, the federal government even acknowledged the connection between COVID vaccines and brain damage, noting that, “There is a greater than expected occurrence of severe neurological adverse events…following different kinds of COVID-19 vaccinations,” in the aptly titled 2022 report, Neurological Complications Following COVID-19 Vaccination.   Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer and others considered to be Big Pharma cannot, under law, be sued for these outcomes and, ultimately, Big Pharma did not mandate the vaccine – that was the purview of the federal and state governments, as well as various individual organizations.  While negative outcomes from the COVID vaccine were rare, they occurred and someone should be held accountable.         

NOTE: Though I penned this article months ago, I never posted it on my site.  If more up-to-date information is available, related specifically to this topic, please comment below.

Update: Have a TBI?  Find out anytime, anyplace.

Researching for TBI-related news today brought me to an article that was just released hours ago and focused on a topic I previously posted about in 2017: “The DoD has granted $11.3 million to Abbott Laboratories for the development of a mobile device that allows one to determine if they have a traumatic brain injury, anytime and anyplace.”  The portable blood test, which should be administered within 12 hours of potential brain injury, detects certain biomarkers in the blood that indicate a brain injury.  In March 2023, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration finally approved the Abbott’s Alinity i-Stat laboratory device for commercial use.  Soon, it appears, this blood test will be available to athletes, soldiers, and others at medical centers throughout the country.