PITTSBURGH, Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Neuro Kinetics, Inc. (NKI) (www.neuro-kinetics.com), manufacturers of noninvasive medical diagnostic equipment used worldwide to test for vestibular and neurological conditions, said today that it has received a two-part grant under the recently enacted Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to further the company’s ongoing clinical studies to collect data for the objective diagnosis of sports concussions.
The Therapeutic Discovery grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, an estimated three million sports-related concussions occur annually in the United States. For young people ages 15 to 24, sports are second only to automobile accidents as the leading cause of Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) and mild Traumatic Brain Injuries (mTBI).
“With much attention focused recently on brain injuries in professional and high school football, there is widespread awareness of just how devastating brain injuries can be over time. Our I-Portal® eye-tracking technology is proving to provide repeatable and objective diagnosis of brain injuries inflicting all athletes in contact sports, from school through professional ranks,” said Howison Schroeder, NKI president and CEO. “As with so many medical issues, accurate and timely diagnosis means better patient care, and that can be a life-changer for a brain injury victim.”
NKI is working with a major hospital to expand a database of baseline brain functioning for student athletes in Western Pennsylvania.
“We have already been able to compare a dozen concussion incidents with the baseline data,” Schroeder. “We are encouraged that our technology appears to offer an early indication of whether there is brain injury.”
The HHS grant will be used to further that research, Schroeder said.
NKI’s research into accurate diagnosis of sports concussions continues the company’s strategy of expanding the clinical utility of its testing equipment and the range of tests that can be conducted with them.
The company also is engaged in extensive research with a number of U.S. military hospitals and healthcare facilities to develop new techniques for early diagnosis of TBI and mTBI suffered by soldiers from roadside blasts in Afghanistan and Iraq. The investigations center on whether neuro-otologic measurements included in the battery of tests available through Neuro Kinetics’ I-Portal® NOTC (Neuro-Otologic Test Center) and I-Portal® VNG (Video Nystagmography) systems can provide objective and repeatable neuro-physiologic evaluations for mTBI. If so, accurate diagnosis of mTBI -- and therefore improved care -- would be possible.
NKI is the pioneer of the renowned computerized Barany (rotational) chair to test for vestibular and neurological issues. The company’s equipment and related software generate precise motion, ocular motor, and optokinetic stimuli in conjunction with highly accurate measurement of the eye’s horizontal, vertical, pupil and torsional responses or reflexive reactions to the stimuli. The precision of the testing and accuracy of results helps clinicians develop more timely and accurate diagnosis.
“We believe that we on the verge of a new era in diagnostic testing and that the eye is the portal to the brain. Abnormal responses of the eye can be the first indication of more than 200 diseases and conditions,” said Schroeder. “With the quality of life for our soldiers and athletes at stake, our work in the development of objective and accurate diagnosis of brain injuries could benefit many, many people.”
ABOUT NEURO KINETICS, INC.
Neuro Kinetics, Inc. (NKI) is the world leader in eye tracking technology and non-invasive neuro-otologic diagnostic testing.
Central to its product mix and technological advances is the premise that the eye is the portal to the brain. Research has shown the detection of abnormal eye reflexes can indicate the presence of over 200 diseases and medical conditions.
For more than 25 years, NKI has supplied comprehensive neuro-otologic diagnostic tools to audiologists, ENT’s, neuro-otologists, neuro-ophthalmologists and neurologists around the globe. The company’s patented products include the I-Portal® NOTC (Neuro-Otologic Test Center), I-Portal® VNG (Video Nystagmography) and I-Portal® VOG (Video Oculography), along with related accessories, software, training and support services.
MEDIA CONTACT | |
John Buckman | |
Buckman Communications, for Neuro Kinetics, Inc. | |
+ 1 412-381-2900 or jbuckman@buckman.biz | |
SOURCE Neuro Kinetics, Inc.
