Adolescence is a time when youth make decisions, both good and bad, that have consequences for the rest of their lives. Some of these decisions put them at risk of lifelong health problems, injury, or death. The Institute of Medicine held three public workshops between 2008 and 2009 to provide a venue for researchers, health care providers, and community leaders to discuss strategies to improve adolescent health.

How we raise young children is one of today's most highly personalized and sharply politicized issues, in part because each of us can claim some level of "expertise." The debate has intensified as discoveries about our development-in the womb and in the first months and years-have reached the popular media. How can we use our burgeoning knowledge to assure the well-being of all young children, for their own sake as well as for the sake of our nation? Drawing from new findings, this book presents important conclusions about nature-versus-nurture, the impact of being born into a working family, the effect of politics on programs for children, the costs and benefits of intervention, and other issues. The committee issues a series of challenges to decision makers regarding the quality of child care, issues of racial and ethnic diversity, the integration of children's cognitive and emotional development, and more. Authoritative yet accessible, From Neurons to Neighborhoods presents the evidence about "brain wiring" and how kids learn to speak, think, and regulate their behavior. It examines the effect of the climate-family, child care, community-within which the child grows.

In the past decade, few subjects at the intersection of medicine and sports have generated as much public interest as sports-related concussions - especially among youth. Despite growing awareness of sports-related concussions and campaigns to educate athletes, coaches, physicians, and parents of young athletes about concussion recognition and management, confusion and controversy persist in many areas. Currently, diagnosis is based primarily on the symptoms reported by the individual rather than on objective diagnostic markers, and there is little empirical evidence for the optimal degree and duration of physical rest needed to promote recovery or the best timing and approach for returning to full physical activity. Sports-Related Concussions in Youth: Improving the Science, Changing the Culture reviews the science of sports-related concussions in youth from elementary school through young adulthood, as well as in military personnel and their dependents. This report recommends actions that can be taken by a range of audiences - including research funding agencies, legislatures, state and school superintendents and athletic directors, military organizations, and equipment manufacturers, as well as youth who participate in sports and their parents - to improve what is known about concussions and to reduce their occurrence. Sports-Related Concussions in Youth finds that while some studies provide useful information, much remains unknown about the extent of concussions in youth; how to diagnose, manage, and prevent concussions; and the short- and long-term consequences of concussions as well as repetitive head impacts that do not result in concussion symptoms. The culture of sports negatively influences athletes' self-reporting of concussion symptoms and their adherence to return-to-play guidance. Athletes, their teammates, and, in some cases, coaches and parents may not fully appreciate the health threats posed by concussions. Similarly, military recruits are immersed in a culture that includes devotion to duty and service before self, and the critical nature of concussions may often go unheeded. According to Sports-Related Concussions in Youth, if the youth sports community can adopt the belief that concussions are serious injuries and emphasize care for players with concussions until they are fully recovered, then the culture in which these athletes perform and compete will become much safer. Improving understanding of the extent, causes, effects, and prevention of sports-related concussions is vitally important for the health and well-being of youth athletes. The findings and recommendations in this report set a direction for research to reach this goal.

This important book describes the effects of a range of medical, psychological, and neurological conditions on brain functioning, specifically cognition. After a brief introduction of brain anatomy and function focusing on neural systems and their complex role in cognition, this book covers common disorders across several medical specialties, as well as injuries that can damage a variety of neural networks. The authors review findings on associations between these conditions and cognitive domains such as executive function, memory, attention, and learning, and describe possible causal pathways between diseases and cognitive impairment. Later chapters describe potential strategies for prevention, improvement, and treatment. The book’s topics include Cognition in affective disorders Cerebrovascular disease and cognition Cognitive sequelae of sepsis Traumatic brain injury and cognition Cognitive deficits associated with drug use Obstructive sleep apnea and cognition Cognitive function in pulmonary disease The Brain at Risk reflects the current interest in the links between body, mind, and brain, and will be of great value to researchers and practitioners interested in neuroscience, neuropsychology, and clinical research in the cognitive and behavioral consequences of brain injury and disease.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains a significant source of death and permanent disability, contributing to nearly one-third of all injury related deaths in the United States and exacting a profound personal and economic toll. Despite the increased resources that have recently been brought to bear to improve our understanding of TBI, the developme

The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) provides disability compensation to veterans with a service-connected injury, and to receive disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), a veteran must submit a claim or have a claim submitted on his or her behalf. Evaluation of the Disability Determination Process for Traumatic Brain Injury in Veterans reviews the process by which the VA assesses impairments resulting from traumatic brain injury for purposes of awarding disability compensation. This report also provides recommendations for legislative or administrative action for improving the adjudication of veterans' claims seeking entitlement to compensation for all impairments arising from a traumatic brain injury.

​The second edition of this book explores different aspects of the relationship between hypertension and brain damage, providing readers with up-to-date information that will be of interest to clinicians and researchers alike. In recent years, numerous studies have been published that have added new evidence on different aspects of the disease. New recommendations and the latest hypertension guidelines on stroke and dementia will be described in this edition, which will include not only updated content but also new chapters on aspects that have recently emerged in relation to hypertension and brain damage. After an introductory chapter on the epidemiology and burden of neurological disease induced by hypertension, the significance of various comorbidities that represent risk factors for brain damage in the context of hypertension is discussed. The effects of hypertension on small and large cerebral arteries and the consequences on brain damage are then examined in detail. Similarly, the association between hypertension and ischaemic stroke, transient ischaemic attack and haemorrhagic stroke is explored in depth, and the evidence and guidelines for reducing hypertension during the acute phase of each form of stroke are summarised. Both primary and secondary prevention of stroke are addressed, with the results of major studies presented. The reader will also find interesting new perspectives on the role of different imaging techniques, including CT and functional MRI, in detecting and diagnosing brain damage in patients with hypertension. The concluding chapters examine the relationship between hypertension and cognitive decline and dementia associated with hypertension, its pathophysiology, the detection of cognitive impairment in daily practice, and its prevention and treatment.

This book considers what the technique of fMRI entails, and what information it can give us, showing which applications are possible today, and which ones are science fiction. It also looks at the important ethical questions these techniques raise.

A 2022 Choice Reviews Outstanding Academic Title Dispels the myths surrounding head impacts in youth sports and empowers parents to make informed decisions about sports participation “They’re just little kids, they don’t hit that hard or that much.” “Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) only happens to former NFL players.” “Youth sports are safer than ever.” These are all myths which, if believed, put young, rapidly maturing brains at risk each season. In The Brain on Youth Sports: The Science, the Myths, and the Future, Julie M. Stamm dissects the issue of repetitive brain trauma in youth sports and their health consequences, explaining the science behind impacts to the head in an easy-to-understand approach. Stamm counters the myths, weak arguments, and propaganda surrounding the youth sports industry, providing guidance for those deciding whether their child should play certain high-risk sports as well as for those hoping to make youth sports as safe as possible. Stamm, a former three-sport athlete herself, understands the many wonderful benefits that come from playing youth sports and believes all children should have the opportunity to compete—without the risk of long-term consequences.

From a Harvard- and Yale-trained neuropsychologist, a science-backed five-step program to boost memory and dramatically decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s. American adults fear Alzheimer’s more than any other disease—including cancer—and because many don’t realize there is no genetic cause for 99 percent of Alzheimer’s cases, they don’t take the necessary steps to change lifestyle factors shown to significantly protect against the disease. In this book, board-certified neuropsychologist Dr. Michelle Braun inspires you to make lasting improvements by explaining the truth about brain health and providing expert guidance through the maze of conflicting media advice on supplements, brain games, nutrition, and exercise. Braun interviews eight leading brain health experts, combining their insights with cutting-edge research to offer proven strategies to implement the five steps of the High-Octane Brain. Interactive exercises help you develop a personalized program for optimal brain health. Dr. Braun also provides a tracking system with a visual depiction of progress, and shows the High-Octane Brain plan in action through the lives of clients. Packed with valuable tips you can implement immediately to minimize common “brain blips,” exercises to boost your memory within minutes, and inspiring insights from nine High-Octane Brain role models ages 44 to 103, this groundbreaking book helps put the future of your brain in your control. “Thorough, backed up by the best available research, and accessible.” —Barry Gordon, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Cognitive Neurology/Neuropsychology Division, Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions and University