Progesterone – Hormones and Brain Injury

The National Institute of Health (NIH) is funding a nationwide study to further explore how the female hormone progesterone protects the brain; that is, both the female and the male brains, after trauma. The curative value of the hormone came to light in a preliminary study of 100 brain injury cases when the progesterone was tested for its safety. Progesterone is best known as a female hormone that is a vital constituent in maintaining pregnancies. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 1.5 million Americans sustain a traumatic brain injury every year, and more than 50,000 of them die of complications from the injury. Moreover, survivors of such injuries suffer long-term needs. The original NIH study found that patients given the progesterone were 50% less likely to have died than the placebo group. The study also found that among moderate brain-injury survivors, those who received the progesterone were less disabled, and some even made a full recovery. The study the NIH is now undertaking is an extended test to track both the safety and effectiveness of the hormone. If the results of the extended test remain positive, the implications for employers will be great. The CDC shows the leading causes of traumatic brain injuries as: 28% Falls 20% Motor Vehicle Crashes 19% Struck by/against objects 11% Assaults The CDC also reported that males are 1½ times more likely to sustain a traumatic brain injury than females. While the CDC does not report where the traumas occurred, it is logical that a high percentage of them occurred in the workplace. Employers and their supervisors will do well to remember the effectiveness of progesterone at the time of the injuries. The preliminary NIH study also showed that the earlier the progesterone was used, the more effective it was in the long run. Traditionally thought of as a “female hormone,” progesterone might be best referred to as a “protection hormone.” How do you feel about its use in male patients with traumatic brain injuries? Considering the success of the NIH study, should more studies be undertaken?

Dean Kamen Invents a Prosthetic Robot Arm

Remember the amazing guy who invented the Segway? The Segway is the two-wheeler you stand on and drive to wherever you want to go by leaning in the right direction. At the behest of the U.S. Department of Defense, Kamen recently invented a mind-controlled prosthetic robot arm. It is difficult to overstate one’s awe for Kamen’s inventions. Still while the Segway is a neat kind of thing we all may wish to have, the reality is that there really aren’t that many of them around. So is the Kamen prosthesis in the same category? - What does the mind-controlled arm mean to the world-at-large? - Who are the beneficiaries of this latest, perhaps greatest, of Kamen’s inventions? - Are the only beneficiaries the individuals who have lost arms, especially American service men and women? - Why should the rest of us care?

Coping with Mental Illness in the Workplace

Recent (and rapid) advances in neuroscience, and brain research generally, are providing some critically useful information for rehabilitation professionals. While of course employers and their Disability Management (DM) professionals are not qualified to diagnose or treat mental illness, they are responsible to know the basics of such illnesses in order to plan and operate quality DM Programs in the workplace. Consider the following: The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that more than fourteen million Americans suffer from major depression every year, and more than three million suffer from minor depression. Given these numbers, it is inevitable that some employees will fall into these definitions, and the responsibility of the DM professionals is to recognize this reality for the purpose of referring them to competent medical professionals and customizing job descriptions to accommodate them. In short, mental illnesses are no different from physical illnesses in terms of workplace disability. Other facts related to this issue: - One in four Americans has been diagnosed with some form of mental illness as specified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). (The DSM is published by the American Psychiatric Association. It has become so contentious that an updated version of it has been postponed from May 2010 to 2013.) - A significant issue among the medical and psychiatric professions is that in too many cases the treatment of a mental illness is a prescription for some drug, as opposed to talk therapy (Cognitive-Behavior Therapy) designed to help patients develop coping strategies. It is important to note that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accords the same protection to individuals with mental illnesses as it does to individuals with physical conditions: A person may be disabled if he or she has a physical or mental (bolding added) condition that substantially limits a major life activity. Mental health topics include: Anxiety Disorders (including Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Panic Disorder, PTSD, and Social Anxiety Disorder), ADHD/ADD, Autism, Bipolar Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, Depression, Eating Disorders, Schizophrenia, and Prevention. As always, we would love to hear from our readers. Is Mental Illness/Mental Health an issue you experience in your workplace? If so, is it effectively handled by management? Do you have any suggestions for improving the manner in which these issues are handled in your workplace?