Tuesday, December 29, 2009

The Picture of Health-Greg Clement - Age 19, Pepperell, MA






I was in a car accident on December 17, 2008, where I sustained a traumatic brain injury, among many other things. The other injuries have healed very well, but I am still in the process of repairing the #1 thing in anyone's body - the brain! I was shown Lumosity by my speech therapist, and it was with the combination of help from all my doctors, therapists, family, and friends, that I have made, and am still making, an excellent recovery. Lumosity is something very ideal for someone in my situation. It's a very good tool to help me get back on my feet. I've recommended Lumosity to all of my friends as well! I give Lumosity two thumbs up!

Saturday, December 26, 2009

The Visual Thesaurus

I'm Speechless Word of the Day
aphasia

If you can remember that the combining form -phasia (from Greek for "speak") denotes speech disorders, you have a handy box for a number of things that can go wrong with vocalization. Aphasia is an inability to produce speech owing to disease or injury; dysphasia is the impairment of such ability. All other phasias are rarer and more obscure.

Click here to look up the word of the day in the Visual Thesaurus!

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Bells Corners man defies odds, receives special award


His accomplishments are many and overshadow the fact that he is both autistic and aphasic, having learned to communicate as a deaf person.

"To us, this was a big thrill for him to get the award," said Judi Roy, Mike's mother. "When he was a young child, I was told to put him in an institution and to forget about him, as if he didn't have a brain. He hadn't been diagnosed and back then autism was almost unheard of and ...Next...

Saturday, December 19, 2009

TBI-based speech-disorder study to begin with radical new technology.


A team of researchers in Australia received a $755,000 grant to perform a study with the help of a radical new technology to improve the effectiveness of traumatic brain injury (TBI) rehabilitation efforts...Next...

“Blood Clots Almost Killed Me”


In January 2006, Syracuse University mourned the loss of Tracy Halpin, a 21-year-old senior who, according to the medical examiner’s report, died from blood clots in her legs that moved up to her lungs. The clots reportedly caused her to fall on Walnut Avenue, resulting in a liver laceration. When I read about it in the Daily Orange, I remember feeling confused and shocked, but at the same time thinking, how weird, that could never happen to me. One year later, it nearly did...Next..

Monday, December 14, 2009

Troops Strike Up a Tune to Repair the Damage of Brain Injuries


Studies show that music can promote new neural connections, which Colorado State University neuroscientist Michael Thaut theorized could help overcome common symptoms of traumatic brain injury (TBI), such as short-term memory loss and impaired decision-making skills. Thaut and his colleagues enrolled 31 veterans suffering from TBI in a “neurologic music therapy” study where each drummer matches rhythms and tempos set by a bandleader. Last summer, they published results that show that after several 30-minute sessions, the group performed better on standard decision-making tests...Next...

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Brain listens, learns while we sleep


NORTHWESTERN—Even in deep sleep, sounds

make their way into our minds, researchers have

found, and enhance associated memories.

“The research strongly suggests that we don’t shut

down our minds during deep sleep,” says John

Rudoy, lead author of the study and a neuroscience

PhD student at Northwestern University. “Rather 

this is an important time for consolidating memories.”  Next.....