Scientists discover environmental enrichment for TBI patients may counter shrinkage in the brain

This was reported for stroke way back in 2011 by Dr. Corbett. Don't researchers read research?
Get the summary here: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-09/uhn-sde092413.php
Get the abstract here: Environmental enrichment may protect against hippocampal atrophy in the chronic stages of traumatic brain injury

An enriched environment increases activity in stroke patients undergoing rehabilitation in a mixed rehabilitation unit: a pilot non-randomized controlled trial

My God, why are we beating a known fact as talked about by Dr. Corbett in  2010.
They should be disseminating this to the overall Great Stroke Association to get this into every rehab hospital and textbook. Don't researchers read anything in their field? And how many years is it going to take to get to your hospital? You have to demand this, no one else will do it.
http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/09638288.2013.788218

Abstract

Purpose: An enriched environment (EE) facilitates physical, cognitive and social activity in animal models of stroke. The aim of this pilot study was to determine whether enriching the environment of a mixed rehabilitation unit increased stroke patient activity. Methods: A non- randomized controlled trial was conducted. Direct observation was used to determine the difference in change in physical, cognitive, social or any activity over 2 weeks in patients exposed to an enriched versus non-enriched environment. Results: Stroke patients in the EE (n  = 15) were 1.2 (95% CI 1.0–1.4) times more likely to be engaged in any activity compared with those in a non-enriched environment (n =  14). They were 1.7 (95% CI 1.1–2.5) times more likely to be engaged in cognitive activities, 1.2 (95% CI 1.0–1.5) times more likely to be engaged in social activities, 0.7 (95% CI 0.6–0.9) times as likely to be inactive and alone and 0.5 (95% CI 0.4–0.7) times as likely to be asleep than patients without enrichment. Conclusions: This preliminary trial suggests that the comprehensive model of enrichment developed for use in a rehabilitation unit was effective in increasing activity in stroke patients and reducing time spent inactive and alone.Implications for Rehabilitation

• Stroke patients within a mixed rehabilitation unit who are exposed to an enriched environment (EE) are more likely to be engaged in activity than those not exposed to the enriched environment.
• Patients in enriched conditions are less likely to be “inactive and alone” or asleep during waking hours.
• These results suggest a comprehensive model of enrichment is effective in increasing activity levels.

Read More: http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/09638288.2013.788218

Standardized Environmental Enrichment Supports Enhanced Brain Plasticity in Healthy Rats and Prevents Cognitive Impairment in Epileptic Rats

Our researchers should be able to apply and test this in survivors. This is what Dr. Corbett has been saying for years. Enrich your environment.
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0053888

Abstract

Environmental enrichment of laboratory animals influences brain plasticity, stimulates neurogenesis, increases neurotrophic factor expression, and protects against the effects of brain insult. However, these positive effects are not constantly observed, probably because standardized procedures of environmental enrichment are lacking. Therefore, we engineered an enriched cage (the Marlau™ cage), which offers: (1) minimally stressful social interactions; (2) increased voluntary exercise; (3) multiple entertaining activities; (4) cognitive stimulation (maze exploration), and (5) novelty (maze configuration changed three times a week). The maze, which separates food pellet and water bottle compartments, guarantees cognitive stimulation for all animals. Compared to rats raised in groups in conventional cages, rats housed in Marlau™ cages exhibited increased cortical thickness, hippocampal neurogenesis and hippocampal levels of transcripts encoding various genes involved in tissue plasticity and remodeling. In addition, rats housed in Marlau™ cages exhibited better performances in learning and memory, decreased anxiety-associated behaviors, and better recovery of basal plasma corticosterone level after acute restraint stress. Marlau™ cages also insure inter-experiment reproducibility in spatial learning and brain gene expression assays. Finally, housing rats in Marlau™ cages after severe status epilepticus at weaning prevents the cognitive impairment observed in rats subjected to the same insult and then housed in conventional cages. By providing a standardized enriched environment for rodents during housing, the Marlau™ cage should facilitate the uniformity of environmental enrichment across laboratories