Boston, MA – (Financialstrend) – 03/24/2014 – Avanir Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:AVNR) announced the presentation of its results from a 1st-of-its-kind study of the pseudobulbar affect symptoms in the veterans with mild TBI or traumatic brain injury conducted in conjunction with the Department of VA (Veterans Affairs) and Evidera. This study was also presented at the 10th World Congress on the topic of Brain Injury that was held in San Francisco on 21 March 2014. Dr.
Regina McGlinchey, is the director of the Translational Research-Center for TBI & Stress Disorders, said that it is estimated that around 12 and 23% of service members who have been deployed to Iraq &/or Afghanistan have now sustained a traumatic-brain injury and the study suggests that most of these men & women might also be suffering from PBA. This is a very distressing neurological condition that is marked by uncontrollable and disruptive crying / laughing episodes.
Over 50% of responders from the study have reported that they are now experiencing various symptoms of PBA. Those who are suffering from PBA symptoms also reported worse health- related quality of the life scores, & there appeared to be a very high correlation between the PBA symptoms & post-traumatic stress disorder. Results from the benchmark study now suggest a very high prevalence of the PBA symptoms amongst veterans with these mild traumatic brain-injuries, an issue that very significantly compounds burden on the veterans as even more troops re-integrate into the society after their active service, said the CMO at Avanir Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:AVNR) Joao Siffert, M.D.
The company’s ultimate goal with the research is to collaborate effectively with the VA in developing a screening-protocol for identifying the PBA symptoms to help in improving diagnosis & treatment as well as ultimately the very quality of care for the nation’s veterans. Additionally, also understanding interplay between PBA & other brain-injury neuropsychiatric consequences might help in guiding a much more specific & comprehensive approach to patient care.