MATT LAUER, co-host:
Back now at 8:20. Wrapping up our special series,
MYSTERIES OF THE BRAIN
. We talked about
traumatic brain injuries
, concussions, how the
brain
actually works, and this morning
NBC
's chief medical editor Dr.
Nancy Snyderman
is back to answer your questions about the
brain
.
Nancy
, good morning. Nice to see you.
Dr. NANCY SNYDERMAN reporting:
Hey, Matt. Thank you.
LAUER:
Let's get right to them. We have an e-mail question, this is from
Brianna
in
Athens
,
West Virginia
. "I have had horrible migraines for the last few years. Since I started college last year, they come at least once a week. When I get them, I cannot function. I take aspirin but it's starting to lose its effect. Is there something I can do to prevent my migraines or am I going to be stuck with them for the rest of my life?"
SNYDERMAN:
Several things; yes, she might be stuck with them, but there's a lot more that she can do, and I would argument that aspirin is probably one of the least effective medications out there. There are some over-the-counters, but now there's this whole new group of prescription medications that can help people with migraines. So number one, go see a neurologist, figure out what kind of migraine you have so you can get on the right medication. And then really look at your lifestyle, things like smoking, alcohol, chocolate, not getting enough sleep, stress, all those kinds of things can be triggers. For -- so -- for -- so for a young woman, anything here can be a trigger. And for any woman of reproductive age, check to make sure that your menstrual cycle and your migraines are on different times of the month or same time of the month because sometimes there can be a hormonal bump also.
LAUER:
Important information.
SNYDERMAN:
Very important.
LAUER:
All right. Let's move on to
Skype
. We've got
Joelle
in
Orchard Park
,
New York
, standing by.
Joelle
, you with us? And what's your question? Oh, we just lost
Joelle
. Let's move on to the next one. An e-mail questions. "Is it true that we use only 10 percent of our
brain
?" This one comes from
Meredith
in
New York City
. No, I'm kidding.
SNYDERMAN:
You know...
LAUER:
Comes from
Franklin
in
Dallas
,
Texas
.
SNYDERMAN:
Meredith
has been tested, it's probably 8 percent.
LAUER:
You said that, I didn't. OK.
SNYDERMAN:
I know, there's hell to pay.
LAUER:
Is it true?
SNYDERMAN:
No. It's one of the great myths. The reality is we use almost all of our
brain
. The question is are you using it all the time? But we use it differently. You know, I mentioned yesterday, if you have a math problem and I have a math problem, you are going to recruit a certain part of your
brain
...
LAUER:
Right.
SNYDERMAN:
...and you're going to really zero in on it. Women use both hemispheres of the
brain
and they freely toss information back and forth. It's why we brag about being multitaskers and you guys are more linear. But in fact we do use most of our
brain
.
LAUER:
All right. Let us to go -- I believe we have
Maryann
on the phone from
Holton
,
Texas
.
Maryann
, we can hear you, I hope. Go ahead with your question.
MARYANN:
Hi, Dr. Snyderman.
SNYDERMAN:
Hey, Maryann.
MARYANN:
I read an article a few months ago that discussed the
Army
's development of a simple
blood test
that can be an early indicator of concussion. Can you tell me more about this?
SNYDERMAN:
Yeah, this was -- I sure can. This was a pretty cool study, but I want to caution you a very early study of only 34 patients. And what they found was that people who came in to the hospital with early concussions -- the damaged
brain
released a certain protein and they could pick that up in the blood, but the problem was,
Matt
, very early, small number, has to be replicated. But the real question is, if you have a concussion that doesn't show symptoms, might there be a
blood test
in the future to test for it, and that's where this is going. So I think good news coming, but just not quite there yet.
LAUER:
All right.
Maryann
,
thank you very much
for your question. I appreciate it. We have now an e-mail question. This one is from
Gina
in
Ingram
,
Texas
. And here's the question, "My husband suffered a
traumatic brain injury
after falling from a horse in October. Cognitive recovery was very quick and significant. All other recovery has been very slow. Several doctors have told us," quote, "'Wherever you are one year after the accident is how you will be forever,'" end quote, "Is that true?"
SNYDERMAN:
I don't think so. And here's the reason; I've seen family members struggle with stuff like this, we're watching
Gabrielle Giffords
in a rehab unit deal with it. But in medicine, we like to sort of assign times. Six -- five years from cancer and you're cured. One year after a
brain injury
, that's what you're going to be. The reality is we really don't know. The
brain
is more plastic and more adaptable than before. So I would say to continue the treatment, any kind of exercises that are being done. And remember that not everybody is going to fit every statistic.
LAUER:
All right. We -- it didn't work out with
Joelle
by
Skype
, but I believe we have
Joelle
by phone now.
Joelle
,
can you hear me
?
JOELLE:
Yes, I can.
LAUER:
Go ahead. What's your question?
JOELLE:
Hi, Dr. Snyderman.
SNYDERMAN:
Hi,
Joelle
.
JOELLE:
I have a 19-year-old son who's been trying to
quit smoking
for a while but with not much success, and you talked yesterday about, you know, teenagers' brains not being developed...
SNYDERMAN:
Yeah.
JOELLE:
...and more -- and they're more susceptible to addictive behaviors. Does this in turn make it difficult for them to quit these addictive behaviors?
SNYDERMAN:
Yes.
JOELLE:
And when will their
brain
be fully developed?
SNYDERMAN:
Well, they -- because their brains are developing there is some pretty elegant research that their brains may actually be rewired, and it's harder for a kid to kick the habit in their 20s if they in fact started in their teenage years. A really important lesson for parents to have that pre-teen talk about drugs, sex, smoking, you name it, including alcohol, because what happens in the teenage
brain
can alter the adult
brain
.
LAUER:
Really good information,
Nancy
. Thanks very much.
SNYDERMAN:
You're welcome,
Matt.
LAUER:
Joelle
, thank you for your question.
Meredith
waiting for you just outside the studio.
SNYDERMAN:
With a bat.
“ ”