Crazy as it sounds, alcohol may one day be given to people with brain injuries to help them recover.
The idea has arisen from a study of 38,000 people with head injuries, which found that those with alcohol in their blood were more likely to survive. For every 100 people who died when stone-cold sober, only 88 died with ethanol – the kind of alcohol in drinks – in their veins.
"The finding raises the intriguing possibility that administering ethanol to patients with brain injuries may improve outcome," conclude the investigators.
Lead researcher Ali Salim of the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles said he hoped a trial could be mounted, but more information is needed first. "We need a better understanding of the exact mechanism, the appropriate dose and specific timing of treatment before we can embark on clinical trials," he told New Scientist.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17820-bash-your-head-you-need-a-stiff-drink.html
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