APEX Brain Centers

Case Study: Mild Traumatic Brain Injury – Liz

Case Study: Mild Traumatic Brain Injury – Liz’s Story

Case Study: Mild Traumatic Brain Injury – Liz is a 29-year-old female entrepreneur, designer, and athlete who came to APEX Brain Centers with a history of the post-concussion syndrome from previous car accidents and sport-related head injuries. She reported symptoms that are often seen in cases of mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) including brain fog, fluctuating and elevated heart rate, fatigue, incoordination, excessive emotionality, sharp head pains. Decreasing ability to think critically and effectively. Liz’s symptoms have been nothing short of debilitating. Her ability to work full time at the career she loves. She was also very concerned that her future plans of having a baby and starting a family would be compromising. Due to the health risk to both her and a developing fetus.

Liz traveled from Virginia to the APEX Brain Centers office in Asheville, NC to participate in our targeted, high frequency, high-intensity Brain Training program. She began a 10-day course of Brain Training in November of 2014 with the goal of alleviating her concussion-related symptoms. With her sincere efforts and dedication to recovery, we were able to record significant measurable changes related to her symptomatology.

Intervention for mTBI

Liz underwent Brain Training 3 times per day over the course of the 10-day period. Her brain function was carefully monitoring throughout the training process to ensure she was receiving enough treatment to be effective. But not too much so as to be counter-productive. Modalities delivered included but were not limited to neurofeedback (NFB) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), Interactive Metronome, vestibular rehabilitation, metabolic/nutritional therapies, eye movement, and other aspects of neurological rehabilitation, electrical stimulation, breathing exercises, and home care recommendations.

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Outcomes after Brain Training

Subsequent to her Brain Training program, Liz reported significant subjective improvements in the vast majority of her post-concussion syndrome symptoms including fogginess and “wandering” of thought, fluctuating heart rate.  Ability to control emotions, head pain, sleep, the intensity at which she was able to exercise, balance, and levels of energy.

Actual, measurable objective improvements recorded with post-intensive diagnostic testing include:

  • Cognitive Testing: Improvements in 4 aspects of memory, attention, executive, and other cognitive functions ranging from 14% – 800%.
  • Interactive Metronome: 42% improvement and normalization of hyper-anticipatory timing tendency with motor tasks. 68% improvement in task average with motor skills. 30% improvement in overall response accuracy with motor skills.
  • Computerized Assessment of Postural Stability (CAPS): Elimination of mild reductions instability with balance and complete normalization of balance abilities in eyes closed scenarios.
  • Videonystagmography (VNG): Significant improvements in numerous aspects of oculomotor (eye movement) functionality including gaze holding, slow and fast eye movements, optokinetic responses, and spontaneous/involuntary eye movements.
  • Quantitative EEG (qEEG): Normalization of depressed 0-10Hz bandwidth activity.
  • Autonomic Testing: Stabilization of heart rate from an erratic range of 90-150 bpm, to 60-90 bpm; saving her over 30 million heartbeats per year!

With an ever-increasing number of individuals experiencing mTBI, it is important to recognize the symptoms of these oftentimes debilitating disorders. More importantly, that something can be done about them. Borrowing a phrase from the Brain Injury Association of America, Case Study: Mild Traumatic Brain Injury – Liz!

Dr. Michael S. Trayford is a Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist and Neurofeedback Specialist with over 20 years of experience in the practice of advanced functional neurology. He is one of the most highly sought-after brain rehabilitation specialists because of the life-changing outcomes his patients consistently experience. After over a decade in private practice and working alongside other pioneers in the field, Dr. Trayford developed his multimodal intensive brain training and rehabilitation program built around the science of Neuroplasticity – the ability of the brain to learn and grow dependent upon the stimulation it receives from its environment. He later founded APEX Brain Centers to combine his ground-breaking rehabilitation approach with a unique patient and caretaker-centered care model. Under Dr. Trayford’s leadership, APEX Brain Centers has successfully treated thousands of patients and earned the reputation of a world-renowned brain training and rehabilitation practice. Since its inception, Dr. Trayford has been a leader of the Brain Training revolution treating patients worldwide. In addition, he is a published journal contributor and international lecturer. His experience with various patients of all ages and neurological conditions has given him a unique perspective on brain health and human performance. He is also well-versed in collaborating with other health care professionals, making him an invaluable asset to any care team. Dr. Trayford was awarded the Functional Neurologist of the Year distinction by the International Association of Functional Neurology and Rehabilitation, where he is a proud member and conference lecturer. Currently, he serves on the Advisory Council for the Dementia Society of America and the Board of Directors for the International Society for Neuroregulation and Research. He is also a servant leader who has dedicated his adult life to serving multiple communities through Rotary International and other notable causes. When he’s not treating patients, Dr. Trayford usually reads or researches anything related to the brain, human performance, and leadership. He also loves spending time outdoors with his wife Denise, their two daughters, and dogs in the beautiful mountains of western North Carolina. https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmichaeltrayford/

4 Comments

  1. phelista on January 4, 2015 at 11:45 pm

    This is an amazing case. I look forward to visiting your center and interacting with these terminologies and interventions.

    • Dr. Michael Trayford on January 10, 2015 at 7:44 am

      Thank you, Phelista. We look forward to meeting you very soon as well.

  2. phelista on January 4, 2015 at 11:45 pm

    This is an amazing case. I look forward to visiting your center and interacting with these terminologies and interventions.

    • Dr. Michael Trayford on January 10, 2015 at 7:44 am

      Thank you, Phelista. We look forward to meeting you very soon as well.

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