title: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) following traumatic brain injury (TBI): Opportunities and challenges.
abstract: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is highly prevalent and occurs in a variety of populations. Because of the complexity of its sequelae, treatment strategies pose a challenge. Given this complexity, TBI provides a unique target of opportunity for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatments. The present review describes and discusses current opportunitites and challenges associated with CAM research and clinical applications in civilian, veteran and military service populations. In addition to a brief overview of CAM, the translational capacity from basic to clinical research to clinical practice will be described. Finally, a systematic approach to developing an adoptable evidence base, with proof of effectiveness based on the literature will be discussed. Inherent in this discussion will be the methodological and ethical challenges associated with CAM research in those with TBI and associated comorbidities, specifically in terms of how these challenges relate to practice and policy issues, implementation and dissemination. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled SI:Brain injury and recovery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado at Boulder, United States; Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado at Boulder, United States; Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), United States. Electronic address: Theresa.Hernandez@Colorado.edu.
authors.forename: Theresa D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), United States; Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, United States; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, United States; Department of Neurology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, United States.
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Brenner
authors.affiliation: Cincinnati VA Medical Center, United States.
authors.forename: Kristen H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.affiliation: Department of Veteran Affairs, San Diego Healthcare System, Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health (CESAMH) and University of San Diego Hahn School of Nursing and Health Sciences/Beyster Institute of Nursing Research, United States.
authors.forename: Jill E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Bormann
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Birgitta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Johansson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000070642:Brain Injuries, Traumatic / Q000628:therapy*; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans
keywords: Acupressure; Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM); Mantram; Meditation; Mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR); Traumatic brain injury