Research

Our research focus has been on the cerebral vascular and metabolic events in the immediate aftermath of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in children. Prior studies using radioisotopes to evaluate cerebral blood flow have shown an increase in cerebral blood flow following injury. This finding seems to be unique to children.

There is also evidence of increased metabolic activity and oxygen consumption after blunt brain trauma. The phenomenon of increasing the blood flow following a simultaneous increase in the requirement of oxygen by the brain could be a manifestation of a cerebral protective mechanism. This could explain the fact that children do better, compared to adults, in the early phases following TBI.

However, a child's brain is still maturing, unlike an adult's. Functional and structural damage in an immature brain leads to learning and psychological disabilities later in life.

We hope that our results will lead to treatments that minimize the long term effects of TBI in children.