NanoDx

08/10/2026

💡According to the CDC, 1.6-3.8 million sports and recreation-related concussions occur each year in the U.S.— with high school and youth contact sports making up the largest proportion of this number.

Following a head injury, parents are often left with minimal guidance. When they bring their child to the emergency room, there is overreliance on CT scans due to medical-legal protocols.

🧠Comprehensive baseline pre-injury concussion testing can help put parents at ease by comparing pre- and post-injury data. This can help healthcare providers make efficient recommendations based on objective data.

Preseason baseline concussion testing has been done at the college and professional sport levels for many years. The test establishes a healthy level for balance, oculomotor processing speed, and neurocognitive function.

🚩It’s also important for parents to be aware of red flag symptoms:
- Severe or increasing headache
- Double vision
- Behavior changes
- Confusion or irritability

⭐️With the fall sports season around the corner, it’s important to start the conversation about symptoms of a brain injury. Let’s prioritize our athletes’ brain health and ensure they are receiving timely diagnosis and treatment before return-to-play.

https://patch.com/new-jersey/middletown-nj/baseline-concussion-testing-essential-all-fall-sports



https://patch.com/new-jersey/middletown-nj/baseline-concussion-testing-essential-all-fall-sports

By David Bertone, PT, DPT, OCS

08/07/2026

⚽️ Most athletes know to watch for headaches after a concussion—but far fewer realize it can also affect mental health.

Emily Patterson, a Colorado student-athlete, explains that, as a soccer player, she was taught to look for headaches, dizziness and blurred vision after a concussion, but was never taught that a concussion can also affect mental health.

🧠 A 2014 study found that among more than 36,000 adolescents, teens with a history of concussion had more than three times the odds of being diagnosed with depression compared with those without a concussion.

Often, coaches are trained to recognize physical symptoms, and athletes are evaluated before returning to play, but athletes whose mental health has been affected following a concussion are often left to navigate that part of the recovery with little support.

Emily's older sister died at 13 years old during a mental health crisis after experiencing multiple concussions beginning in 2017.

⚖️ Emily's family searched for answers, and their advocacy led to Alyssa's Youth Concussion and Mental Health Protection Act (Alyssa's Act) in Colorado, which expanded concussion education to include mental health awareness.

Their goal was to help ensure coaches and families know what to look for so young athletes can get the support they need when they need it.

Alyssa's Act passed in May, making Colorado the first state to require that mental health be included in concussion education.

⭐️ Concussion recovery is about more than physical symptoms. Recognizing the mental health effects of a concussion can help athletes receive the support they need to recover fully and safely.

Student View: My sister died during a mental health crisis after a concussion. I pushed for a new Colorado law to educate kids, coaches and families.

08/05/2026

🪖Currently, 22 veterans take their lives every single day.

Jamie Guarjardo, a combat veteran who served in the U.S. Marine Corps for 13 years started a non-profit organization with hopes to change that statistic.

Guajardo’s role was to stand next to explosives as they were detonating and redirect the concussion blasts away from those standing behind him. The repeated exposure to blast overpressure waves significantly impacted his brain, “I’ve been battling PTSD and traumatic brain injury (TBI) for over 20 years,” he explains.

He shares his experience of being a two-time su***de survivor. After an intense mental episode in 2018, Guajardo was admitted into a PTSD hospital where he was taught how to tie fishing flies as a form of grounding, dexterity and benefits to the brain.

Learning to make the flies significantly helped Guajardo progress, and this drove him to turn his pain and trauma into a meaningful change. He began by seeking help in understanding and treating his TBI—in the last 2 years, he has received five different brain procedures along with brain surgery.

💡Guajardo created a non-profit organization called the Semper Flies Foundation with 100% of proceeds going into the foundation to grow the program and send veterans on fishing trips.

The mission is not only to lower the su***de rates among veterans, but to educate and encourage veterans to seek treatment. “I love using flyfishing as a platform to deliver this message. Veterans love flyfishing. It’s good for their brains, it’s food for their souls, and it’s good for their conditions.”

The ultimate goal is to purchase a hotel in town and turn it into a home base where veterans can spend two weeks fishing, acquire PTSD education and receive support.

⭐️The initiative Guajardo is taking to help Veterans receive the care they need is remarkable. Let’s continue to fund and advocate for organizations like the Semper Flies Foundation that prioritizes our Veterans brain health and well-being.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Semper Flies Foundation, a new veteran-owned and operated nonprofit, is aiming to provide support for veterans while shedding light on the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury...

07/27/2026

🏃‍♂️ This past weekend, the NanoDx team was proud to participate in the 2026 Run to Home Base at Fenway Park alongside thousands of supporters dedicated to honoring our nation's veterans and military families.

Home Base is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to supporting veterans and their families through clinical care, wellness programs, education and research. Every year, the Run to Home Base brings the community together to help advance that important mission

This year, NanoDx was proudly represented by a team of runners, walkers and spectators who came together in support of those who have sacrificed so much.

🎖️We are proud to support Home Base and its mission to improve the health and well-being of our veterans and their families. We're already looking forward to joining again next year!

07/24/2026

🗣️Disabled American Veterans (DAV) National Commander Coleman Nee and Invisible Wounds Foundation CEO Shannon Connell issued a statement in response to the Department of Veterans updated numbers of traumatic brain injury (TBI) among veterans.

The data shows there has been a drastic increase in the number of veterans who have screened positive for TBI, received a TBI-related diagnosis in Veteran Affairs medical records, or filed for Veteran Affairs disability compensation for TBI in the past four years.

The increase in service members sustaining TBIs may reflect an increase in awareness among service members, veterans and clinicians, leading to higher rates of screening, reporting and diagnosis.

They may also reflect an improved understanding of how brain injuries occur, reduced stigma in self-reporting and expanded TBI screening by the Veterans Health Administration.

🧠TBI is one of the most common wounds suffered in moder warfare. Congress must take action to drive research to prevent and treat TBI in the military and veteran communities.

⭐️Every veteran deserves timely diagnosis, effective treatment, and access to the best available care. Continued investment in TBI research, screening and support is essential to improve outcomes for those who served.

Joint statement on VA’s release of new traumatic brain injury numbers: Congress must act to advance TBI research for service members, veterans WASHINGTON, DC, July 20, 2026 — DAV (Disabled American Veterans) National Commander Coleman Nee and Invisible Wounds Foundation CEO Shannon Connell issue...

07/23/2026

🧠After a traumatic brain injury (TBI) physically heals, inflammation in the brain can cause violent seizures as part of a condition called post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE). Researchers at Texas A&M University discovered a new intervention that could help people suffering from seizures after a head injury.

Researchers found that treating patients with chemicals derived from the gut microbiome can prevent PTE. A study led by Dr. Samba Reddy—Texas A&M professor of neuroscience and experimental therapeutics— found that early interventions can also improve memory and mood and help brain injuries heal.

"Severe seizures induced by [traumatic brain injuries] are a serious public health concern worldwide," says Reddy.

🔬The study:
- Reddy simulated the kind of brain injury often seen after car crashes or a fall by mimicking a severe impact on exposed brain tissue.
- Researchers treated one tissue group with sodium butyrate and tracked the changes over four months.

💡Findings:
- Sodium butyrate is released into the bloodstream and travels throughout the body to the brain, where it passes through the blood-brain barrier and interacts with brain cells.
- This forms what’s known as the gut-brain axis, which has shown in some research to be a link between gut and brain health.
- When a brain injury occurs, the enzyme histone deacetylases (HDAC) cause inflammation in the brain.
- Sodium butyrate blocks HDAC—introducing sodium butyrate into a patient early after a brain injury can block this inflammation.

⭐️Research continues to show that brain injury recovery extends beyond the initial trauma. Advancing treatments that target inflammation could help reduce long-term complications like PTE and improve outcomes for patients.

New research from Texas A&M University could change the way traumatic brain injuries and seizures are treated.

07/22/2026

💡According to the CDC, about 30% of adult American’s experience a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in their lifetime, and roughly 14% of children will suffer one from childhood.

A TBI can cause injury to the brain cells which can lead to temporary disruption, or it can lead to complete damage to the brain and cause brain swelling.

⭐️It’s important to know the signs and symptoms of a TBI so treatment can begin early, giving patients the best chance for a positive recovery. Some symptoms of a TBI include:
- Severe or recurrent headaches
- Impaired speech
- Clear drainage coming from the ears
TBI’s that are left untreated can lead to problems with memory, executive functions and headaches.

⭐️Understanding the signs and symptoms of a TBI is essential for protecting brain health. Let’s continue to educate others and raise awareness so people receive the care they need and to mitigate long-term complications.

07/08/2026

⚽️Criticism launches to FIFA for their lack of concern with head injuries during at the highest levels of soccer during the World Cup.

The most recent incident involved Egyptian player Mohamed Hany during a match against Australia. Hany took the full force of an Australian player's shoulder to the back of his head, causing him to fall backward to the ground and he clearly lost consciousness.

Egyptian medical staff attended to Hany, followed by a four-man stretcher crew. However, shortly after, Hany regained consciousness and was allowed to stand without any apparent cervical examination, which should occur after any loss of consciousness in a contest.

🧠The examination on Hany consisted of briefly looking in his eyes, exchanging a few words and allowing him back on the sideline. No balance testing, no eye-tracking, no memory testing and no exertion tolerance exercises.

Instead of substituting at that point, Egypt played a man down and Hany re-entered the game after the minimum 60-second absence required when medical personnel come onto the pitch.

Egypt had the option of making an immediate “concussion” substitution but if they had made that choice, Hany would have been done for the game.

⭐️Player safety should be the top priority for FIFA and every team competing in the World Cup. Concussions can have long-term effects on players, making it essential that concussion protocols are consistently followed and enforced.

A World Cup collision became another example of why soccer’s concussion rules need more than good intentions, writes sports medicine columnist John Doherty.

07/06/2026

🔬The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is leading a new multi-center clinical trial to evaluate an interdisciplinary rehabilitation model for military veterans and first responders with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and co-occurring disorders such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Sponsored by Avalon Action Alliance, the Veteran’s Interdisciplinary Care for TBI and co-Occurring disorders Rehabilitation Trial (VICTORY-RCT) is one of the most rigorous rehabilitation studies.

Researchers believe the findings could help shape future standards of care not only for veterans and first responders, but also for civilians worldwide living with the long-term effects of TBI.

💡Mild TBI remains a leading cause of long-term disability and neurological impairment, affecting more than 500,000 veterans since 2000.

Awareness about the lasting impact of concussion and brain trauma is growing, however access to coordinated, evidence-based interdisciplinary rehabilitation remains limited and inconsistent nationwide.

Avalon Action Alliance awarded MCW a $7.5 million clinical trial agreement to conduct a study over the next four years, representing a major national investment in advancing evidence-based care for veterans and first responders who are living with the enduring effects of TBI.

🧠The VICTORY-RCT study is designed to assess the efficacy and durability of a three-week intensive outpatient rehabilitation program delivered across five Avalon TBI Center clinical sites nationwide.

The participating programs provide individualized care that includes neurological and physical rehabilitation, psychiatry and psychotherapy and treatment for TBI symptoms such as dizziness, memory loss, and concentration difficulties.

⭐️Advancing rehabilitation research is critical to improving outcomes after a brain injury. This study can help build the evidence needed to improve TBI treatment to protect the brain health of our veterans.

The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is leading a new multi-center clinical trial to evaluate an interdisciplinary rehabilitation model for military veterans and first responders with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and co-occurring disorders such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stre...

06/30/2026

🗣️A group of football club presidents from Melbourne gathered to discuss the brain health of the players in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Most of the football officials were not aware of the differences between chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), and a concussion. The AFL says it’s doing everything they can to educate about head trauma and football, but former star Ken Hunter, says the league could do much more.

🧠 CTE poses as a massive dilemma for the AFL, and although it is a contact sport, there is growing evidence that it can also be a threat to the brain health of its players. It has been revealed that 33 former Australian Rules footballers were diagnosed with CTE after death, most of them being in their 20s, 30s or 40s.

The youngest Australian footballer to be diagnosed with CTE is 23-year-old Nick Lowden, who died by su***de in 2023. His parents Kerry and Tony are appealing for more education and community awareness.

💡CTE is linked to the repetitive hits sustained playing contact sports. The long-term impacts gradually trigger the build-up of abnormal protein in the brain, leading to brain cell death and tissue degeneration.

Neuropathologist Michael Buckland emphasizes that CTE is not caused by concussions alone, but by repeated head impact exposure.
Reducing that exposure is key to lowering the risk.

⭐️Understanding the difference between concussion and CTE is an important step toward protecting athletes. By reducing repeated head impact exposures, we can help make contact sports safer for future generations.

Contact is an essential part of footy, but there is growing evidence it can also be a grave threat to the health and welfare of its players. Experts say the AFL should be acting now to protect current and future players.