GUMC Update

Federoff Testifies on Hill in Support of Funding for Traumatic Brain Injury

May 19, 2009

GUMC EVP for Health Sciences Howard Federoff presented testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Veterans Affairs on May 13, focusing on innovative work to address long-term implications of traumatic brain injury, referred to as TBI, termed “the silent epidemic.” In the case of mild TBI, there may be no outward sign of injury, and studies have shown that more than 90 percent of combat-related TBI’s are closed-brain injuries.

As a neuroscientist, Federoff’s work has centered primarily on Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. But this area of research, which studies biomarkers present in a patient’s blood, may also lead to better measurement not just of the impact of these degenerative brain diseases, but also the impact of neurological disease and injury.

“There can be no dispute that our military is moving aggressively to respond as best they can to the flood of very visible and tragic traumatic brain injuries that our men and women in uniform are experiencing,” said Federoff in his testimony. “But we owe it to those who are serving and have served our nation in uniform to act on the important realization that … there are all too many who have suffered mild to moderate traumatic brain injuries that pose serious, but hidden threats to their long-term well-being.”

Federoff made three key recommendations to the committee related to work that should be supported within the scientific community in order to positively impact the health of veterans:

• Developing methodologies for more rapid and accurate diagnosis of TBI and its associated risks;

• Determining the most effective approaches to triaging TBI patients; and

• Pursuing the rational design and screening of new therapies, including novel drug discovery and development targeting the prevention or minimizing of cognitive impairments which can impact particular motor functions, learning capabilities, the ability to hold a job, and post-traumatic stress disorders.

The House Committee on Veterans Affairs is chaired by Robert Filner (D-CA).

 

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