Category Archives: Miscellaneous

Generation Alpha’s Trending Trauma

Speaker presenting to attentive diverse audience about online safety and 'Blackout Challenge' risks and prevention

In February 2026, nine-year-old JackLynn Blackwell died in her Stephenville, Texas backyard with a cord around her neck after seeing the “blackout challenge” online. A repackaging of the “choking game” that was first catalogued by the CDC in 2008, the blackout challenge is causing yourself to pass out. (This, in turn, causes “permanent, irreversible brain damage”.) It exploded on TikTok in 2021, as the For You algorithm began pushing self-strangulation videos to young users chasing a brief euphoric high from cerebral hypoxia. The trend has shown its lasting power: In South Orange Middle School in New Jersey, two students passed out after engaging in the challenge in 2024.

The blackout challenge has been noticed by politicians: on October 8, 2024, a bipartisan coalition of 14 attorney generals filed separate enforcement actions. “TikTok claims that their platform is safe for young people … [but] young people have died or gotten injured doing dangerous TikTok challenges,” remarked the group’s co-leader Letitia James (NY). In a March 23, 2026 press release, Congressman Jimmy Patronis (FL) stated, “As a parent, I cannot ignore the very real danger [the blackout challenge] poses to our children. Too many families have already suffered unimaginable loss.”  

Beyond concern, this childhood “thrill-seeking” has prompted some schools to take action. In New York, New Jersey and other states, schools have issued parental advisories in an attempt to protect children’s developmentally immature brains. One can hope that this trend is waning in popularity, and will soon be remembered only as an unfortunate episode in Generation Alpha’s past.

Tax Day Challenge for the Brain Injured

Tax documents, calculator, coffee mug labeled 'TAX SEASON', and April 2026 calendar showing Tax Day on the 15th.

Tax Day is stressful for nearly everyone, but the pressure can be particularly harmful for brain injury survivors. A 2024 study in Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation found that 70% of adults with acquired brain injury said their injury affected their ability to handle financial tasks, and 58% felt stressed or anxious about finances. Stress is, of course, a known trigger for neurological symptoms.

According to statistics, prior to injury, 82% of TBI survivors were employed, meaning most were taxpayers. Two years post-injury, 60.4% of moderate-to-severe TBI survivors are unemployed, according to a one study available of PubMed. Many of those who remain employed still struggle cognitively with complex tasks. Tax filing is assuredly a complex task, regardless of brain injury statis.

For brain injury survivors who cannot manage the process alone, but cannot afford professional help, the Internal Revenue Service has many free resources to provide assistance (https://www.usa.gov/help-filing-taxes). “The VITA grant program is an IRS initiative designed to support free tax preparation service for the underserved through various partner organizations.” Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE), “focuses on questions about pensions and retirement-related issues.” Additionally, the IRS Free File provides guided software and fillable forms, available if your adjusted gross income is $84,000 or less. For military service members, MilTax offers free tax assistance.

Congress Has Been Flying Blind on Veteran Brain Injury Spending for Years

Shiny golden dollar sign with stacks of bills and coins behind

The Special Disabilities Capacity Report is Congress’s primary tool for deciding how much to invest in VA’s TBI treatment infrastructure. If the numbers feeding that decision are wrong, the veterans who depend on that care pay the price.

A February 2026 review by the VA Office of Inspector General revealed that in FY 2023, the VA reported the wrong financial data for traumatic brain injury, using obligations rather than actual expenditures, thereby overstating actual TBI spending. More so, they failed to report TBI spending at both the geographic service area and national levels as required by law. The DVA Office of Inspector General’s Report 25-01863-31 also determined that VA’s capacity data did not capture community care services or the extent to which bed capacity was used at its specialized rehabilitation centers.

Pointedly, these data errors are the same as those that have been flagged in prior years. This raises questions about whether Congress receives an accurate picture of VA’s TBI treatment infrastructure. As Iowa Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Chairwoman of the House VA Health Subcommittee, stated at a March 2026 oversight hearing: “Wrong data takes resources away from [other] areas of need.”

Man’s Best Friend Aids Brain Injury Recovery

Dogs are proving to be powerful partners in brain injury rehabilitation, offering benefits across physical, emotional, and speech therapy alike.

A March 2026 story from the University of Colorado Health (UCHealth) system documented Alan Tay, a 71-year-old stroke survivor who credits his border collie Olay with driving his recovery. Working with a neurological physical therapist, Alan used dog agility training to rebuild endurance, coordination, and memory – ultimately winning a national canine competition just three months after his stroke. Emotionally, dogs combat the depression and isolation that frequently accompany brain injury. The above-mentioned UCHealth story also notes that Olay gave Alan the will to push through. An NIH-funded clinical trial confirmed that service dogs may meaningfully reduce PTSD symptoms in military members and veterans.

Dogs can assist with speech recovery, as well. Research shows that aphasia patients produce more verbal and nonverbal communication around therapy dogs, which respond to tone and gesture rather than specific words. Speech therapy in such a uniquely low-pressure and therapeutic environment is highly beneficial for language practice.

The bipartisan SAVES Act, which reached the Senate calendar in February 2026, would fund service dogs for veterans with TBI and PTSD. Introduced by Rep. Morgan Luttrell (TX) on April 2, 2025, H.R.2605 explicitly lists “Traumatic brain injury” as a covered condition, recognizing that a trained service dog can be “optimal for the veteran to manage the disability, condition, or diagnosis and live independently.” In March 2026, America’s VetDogs launched a national campaign during this Brain Injury Awareness Month that highlights service dogs’ life-changing impact for TBI survivors, particularly as it relates to counter-balance support and deep pressure therapy.

Family Trauma Means Mullin’s Mission Goes Beyond Political Party

As President Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security, Senator Markwayne Mullin (OK) has been subject to an extremely contentious confirmation. However, previously, Mullin has worked with both Republicans and Democrats. Specific to this site, he has worked across party lines to pass bills that are very important and extremely dear to him, related to traumatic brain injury. Therefore, as a TBI survivor myself, I find it important to look back at his record, related to the topic:

In January 2020, Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s 15-year-old son was subject to a severe traumatic brain injury during a wrestling match. (Apparently, during his son’s most trying time, President Trump called almost daily and offered his personal plane. The President also later visited his son at the rehab center.) Rehabilitation, which professionals estimated would take years, was completed within 9 months and Mullin’s son is now in college.

Since the unfortunate incident, Senator Mullin has channeled his anguish and frustration into finding answers. His legislations related to TBI tend to focus on research funding and diagnostic standardization for brain injury. Only six months ago, the Senator earnestly reaffirmed his devotion to the issue when he stated, “That is why we must continue to bring awareness to this critical injury. I am honored to join my colleagues on this resolution to recognize Friday, September 19th, as National Concussion Awareness Day.”

Concrete examples of his bipartisan push forward for the brain injured community include S. 4755, Traumatic Brain Injury Program Reauthorization Act of 2024, co-led with Senator Bob Casey (D). When that bill expired, Mullin reintroduced it as the TBI Program Reauthorization Act of 2025, S. 2898, on September 23, 2025, with co-sponsors Senators Andy Kim (D), John Cornyn (R), Alex Padilla (D), and Catherine Cortez Masto (D).  (The 2025 version expanded coverage to include all acquired brain injuries.)

(Devotion to issues that relate to brain injury do not represent the entirety of legislation introduced by Senator Mullin while he has been in the Senate. Additionally, this article is not a comment on Senator Mullin’s nomination to head the DHS.)

Cherry-Picking Superfoods to Aid TBI Recovery

A small red fruit that appears in various forms throughout the year is more than simply a tasty treat. Cherries pack natural pigment, known as anthocyanins, melatonin, and quercetin that cross the blood-brain barrier, reduce neuroinflammation, and protect injured neurons. It has long been known that anthocyanins cut brain injury volume by up to 27%, with anti-inflammatory potency similar to that of ibuprofen. Three more recent human randomized controlled trials also confirmed measurable improvements in memory, attention, and mental fatigue after daily tart cherry juice consumption.

These neurological improvements, highly beneficial to those with brain injuries, include a 23% reduction in memory errors in one 12-week. The NIH’s National Academies Press identified polyphenols found abundantly in cherries as interacting with neuronal survival pathways after traumatic brain injury (TBI). A 2025 review in Nutritional Neuroscience concluded that these compounds lessen neuroinflammation and oxidative stress following brain injury. An earlier comprehensive USDA-supported review of 29 human cherry studies also found cherry consumption decreased oxidative stress markers in 8 of 10 studies and reduced inflammation in 11 of 16 studies.

However, studies show that not all cherries deliver equal benefits. Montmorency tart cherries provide the highest benefits, though dark sweet varieties also carry high anthocyanin levels. Cherries also do not need to be eaten raw to be advantageous. Liquefied tart cherry juice concentrate has proven to be the most clinically validated form, though cherries that have been cooked retain significant amounts of active compounds. When frozen, cherries still provide these benefits, as they preserve 90–95% of polyphenols.

*Beyond delicious cherry pie, recipe research shows me that cherries are a feature in numerous recipes that are well-suited for every time of the day. For breakfast, for example, try cherry overnight oats (rolled oats, frozen cherries, ground flaxseed, and almond butter) which requires zero morning prep and provides steady brain energy. A cherry-chocolate brain smoothie is a good snack (tart cherries blended with cocoa powder, spinach, chia seeds, and almond milk) that delivers anthocyanins and omega-3s in one glass. For TBI-related sleep disruption, tart cherry turmeric bedtime tea (cherry juice simmered with ginger, turmeric, and chamomile) supports both natural melatonin production and neuroinflammation recovery simultaneously.

Spring Forward, Fall Down: Neurological Effect of Time Change

Every March, we lose an hour of sleep, or we gain an hour of sunlight, depending on your perspective. For TBI survivors, this forced clock shift has medically been proven to be particularly cruel. Up to 70% of survivors already struggle with disrupted sleep and circadian rhythms. Unfortunately, that is the same biological clock that drives the neural repair process itself.

The twist, though, is that the extra daylight we are about to gain can actually help injured brains heal. Powered by sunlight, studies have shown that Vitamin D is typically low in brain injury patients, particularly at rehab admission, and deficiency is linked to worse survival. While adding a Vitamin D supplement into your daily pill regiment is good, natural Vitamin D absorption is always best.   

While it may seem a biannual norm, it wasn’t until March 19, 1918 that time became a legislative concern in the United States. President Woodrow Wilson signed the Standard Time Act of 1918, also known as the Calder Act, “to save daylight and to provide standard time, for the United States.”. (On January 20, 1942, President Roosevelt established War Time, which halted the time shift from 1942 – 1945.)

More recently, opposition to time change has increased and a large minority of Americans say that they do not want to keep switching their clocks. In Congress, S.29, Sunshine Protection Act of 2025, sponsored by current Secretary of State, former Florida Senator, Marco Rubio and Rep. Vern Buchanan (FL) would have made Daylight Savings Time permanent. This Congressional year, Rep. Greg Steube (FL) introduced H.R. 7378, Daylight Act of 2026, that would permanently move U.S. clocks forward by 30 minutes and eliminate the biannual time change. As of March 4, 2026, this Act is in the House.

*British Columbia will permanently adopt year-round daylight saving time in 2026, with the final “spring forward” occurring on Sunday, March 8, 2026. It may be useful to observe how this change, or lack there of, functions in another country that has same time zones before passing legislation.

Liquid Gold for Your Brain: Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Your pantry might hold one of the most powerful brain-protective foods on the planet. Research now links extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), long recognized as a boon to heart health, to a sharply lower risk of dementia, faster brain injury recovery, and protection against the toxic plaques that drive Alzheimer’s disease.

The National Institute on Aging states, “Consuming olive oil is associated with lowering the risk of dementia-related death.” This association was found to be true “regardless of overall diet quality”. These findings were compelling enough that the 2025–2030 U.S. Dietary Guidelines, issued by USDA and HHS, placed olive oil at the center of the new federal nutrition framework.

The 2026 PREDIMED-Plus study, which focused on the benefits of the Mediterranean diet for reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, revealed that EVOO works through the gut-brain axis, with participants showing improved memory and cognitive function alongside greater microbiota diversity. Animal studies from 2025 showed that oleocanthal, a polyphenol unique to high-quality EVOO, reduced brain infarct size and sped recovery after traumatic brain injury.

The key is EVOO’s polyphenols, specifically oleocanthal, oleuropein, and hydroxytyrosol, which cross the blood-brain barrier, clear amyloid plaques, and calm neuroinflammation. Only cold-pressed extra virgin oil retains these compounds at therapeutic levels, so quality matters. Refined olive oil could not replicate these results.

Ready to cook for your brain? Try combining EVOO with other ingredients known to promote brain health, such as salmon, or another staple of the Mediterranean diet, mint.

A Gift from the Heart to the Mind

This Valentine’s Day, that box of dark chocolates may offer more than romance. A body of research indexed in PubMed reveals that dark chocolate’s primary flavanol, epicatechin, is a potent neuroprotective compound with remarkable potential for brain injury recovery.

“Epicatechin represents a promising therapeutic candidate for traumatic brain injury – its multi-pathway neuroprotection, from antioxidant defense to neurogenesis, makes it unlike any single pharmaceutical agent,” stated Wang et al. in 2024 in CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics. Research shows that administering epicatechin after traumatic brain injury prevents neuronal death, reduced neuroinflammation, and restored neurological function by targeting the AKT-P53/CREB signaling pathway. This pathway then promotes cell growth and inhibits apoptosis. A 2025 meta-analysis in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry pooled 12 animal studies and confirmed epicatechin significantly improves outcomes across TBI, ischemic stroke, and other brain injury types, while reducing oxidative stress and boosting antioxidant defenses.

Dark chocolate’s brain benefits operate through multiple pathways: boosting cerebral blood flow by 8-10% via nitric oxide–mediated vasodilation, activating the Nrf2 antioxidant system, elevating the brain-derived neurotrophic factor critical for neuronal survival, and stimulating neurogenesis. Crucially, these are the very mechanisms disrupted by traumatic brain injury and stroke.

While most current TBI-specific evidence remains in animal models, the results are compelling. This Valentine’s Day, choose dark chocolate with the highest cocoa content you can find, preferably 70% or above. Your brain, and your loved one’s brain, will thank you.

Texas Governor Declares Disaster to Combat Screwworm Threat

Governor Greg Abbott issued a statewide disaster declaration Thursday, January 29th to prevent a certain species of screwworm fly from entering Texas, mobilizing state resources against a parasite. “Although… not yet present in Texas or the U.S., its northward spread from Mexico toward the U.S. southern border poses a serious threat,” Abbott stated.

Cochliomyia hominivorax, also called Coquerel or New World screwworms, are parasites endemic in South America and the Caribbean. Not new to America, the U.S. was declared free of the parasite in 1966 by the US Department of Agriculture, after successful eradication efforts. A small outbreak occurred in the Florida Keys in 2017.

According to the US Embassy in Costa Rica, “screwworm flies predominantly affect cattle, but frequently affect dogs… and occasionally affect humans.” Experts warn that maggots can burrow into vulnerable tissue like the brain, causing sepsis. Sepsis can cause severe brain damage through systemic inflammation, disrupting the blood-brain barrier (BBB), oxygen deprivation, and neuroinflammation, leading to acute issues like delirium and coma, and long-term cognitive deficits. The Embassy further discusses the story of a 15-year-old girl developed intense headaches after 45 larvae infested a scalp wound, demonstrating risks to children and representing the first human death since the 1990s.

Protection requires cleaning and covering all wounds, wearing long-sleeved clothing, and using EPA-registered insect repellents.