New Brain Injury Study Zones in on Fairgoers

Researchers are heading out to the Minnesota State Fair in an effort to gather more information about brain injuries.

Read More: Wisconsin Brain Injury Lawyer  

Led by  Dr. Uzma Samadani, the Brain Injury Research Lab at Hennepin County Medical Center is exploring methods for improved classification of brain injury to enable better identification of people who do not recover.

The research uses sophisticated eye-tracking technology that does not need a baseline test for comparison (while most others do) and is available to all levels of age and literacy. A research subject watches a short film clip or music video while a camera measures eye movements with high precision and identifies patterns associated with brain injury or other abnormalities.

Participants are asked some simple medical history questions, to sign a consent that their results can be used in the study and to watch two short videos that move around a screen and asked to follow them with their eyes.

At HealthFair 11, people such as Courtney Gill are taking part in the new research at the fair, according to an article by KARE-11. “It seemed interesting so I thought ‘Why not?”

It’s part of Hennepin County Medical Center’s work to find a better way to assess traumatic brain injuries and identify people who don’t recover.

“If we have diagnostic tools that help us classify brain injury better than we can treat it better,” said Samadani, who believes brain injuries are one of the last major obstacles in medicine. “The whole goal of my career is to better classify and treat brain injury and that begins with understanding the problem. I think it’s one of those social responsibilities, an obligation to continue to advance things and make things better.”

HCMC is looking for about 1,000 fairgoers to participate in its project.

For more information on the Healthy Brain Initiative,  click here.