Hormone Therapy May Treat Traumatic Brain Injury

abc7news.com

Traumatic brain injuries often result from car crashes or falls. Doctors don't have too much to offer in the way of treatment for these victims, but a new study using a natural hormone may dramatically change all of that.

It's incredible that Robert Smith can even walk.

Robert Smith, head injury patient: "I was partially ejected out of the back window."

A car crash that left Robert Smith in a coma for two months

Robert Smith: "They didn't think I was really going to make it."

David Wright, MD, Emergency Physician: "Traumatic brain injury is a very significant problem in this country - over 1.2 million head injuries a year."

For ER doctors, it's frustrating.

David Wright, MD, Emergency Physician: "There have been over 100 studies looking for neuro-protectants, for drugs that would help patients after a head injury and absolutely none have been found in over 30 years of research."

That's why Dr. David Wright welcomed the chance to study the natural hormone -- progesterone. The first human studies with 100 patients looked at the safety of injecting the hormone right after an injury. The results were surprising.

David Wright, MD: "There was a 50-percent reduction in mortality, which was the thing that stood out, obviously, the most." Robert had the hormone injection, and while he still has some lingering physical issues, he says he's as sharp as ever and still able to work as a computer network engineer.

Robert Smith: "But I believe with this medicine, a lot of prayers and this medicine progesterone, it just helped regenerate those cells and brought me back to where I needed to be."

Another benefit of this potential breakthrough - the hormone is inexpensive and safe. But it still has a long way to go before it ends up in your emergency room. Progesterone for brain injury has been studied in animals for nearly 20 years, but this is the first study in humans. Doctors say they don't know yet how it works -- but it somehow protects and rebuilds the brain. The next step is to begin a national, multi-center study involving more than 1,000 patients.