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Infants More Vulnerable to Brain Injury From Falling Than Previously Thought

Babies are more vulnerable to serious head injury during a fall than had been previously thought, according to new research that may also begin to help child abuse investigators distinguish between accidental and intentional injury. Whitaker investigator Susan Margulies of the University of Pennsylvania found that rotational forces generated by a baby’s head hitting a hard surface can cause widespread, potentially serious brain injury. This can include internal bleeding, which can damage tissue and alter brain function, and nerve cell damage, which can impair thinking, sensation, and other mental functions.

Researchers Discover Possible New Mechanism for High Blood Pressure

Genetic differences that prevent tiny blood vessels from relaxing may be one reason why some people have high blood pressure, or hypertension, according to research led by scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The findings are published in the February issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation. “These findings provide new insights into the cause of hypertension and how normal blood pressure is regulated,” says lead investigator Kendall J. Blumer, Ph.D., professor of cell biology and physiology. “This may lead to a way of determining the underlying cause of a person’s hypertension and the most effective treatment for that individual.”