Approximately 8,000 Tennesseans are hospitalized each year with brain injuries. For each patient, there are physical and economic impacts, sometimes causing lasting distress for individuals, families and communities.

Health and medical professionals from across the state will gather in Nashville March 17 to discuss new developments in preventing traumatic brain injury. The conference is open to the public and will be held on the campus of David Lipscomb University.

"Every decision and every action we make is dependent on the control center that is our brain," said Jean Doster, director of the Tennessee Department of Health Traumatic Brain Injury program. "TDH and the Brain Injury Association of Tennessee are hosting this event to bring additional focus on what can be done to help reduce the physical suffering and financial costs resulting from preventable brain injuries."

Keynote speaker is Chris Nowinski, co-founder and executive director of the Sports Legacy Institute, a non-profit organization focused on reducing sports concussion injuries through education, policy and research. As a professional wrestler, he suffered a serious concussion, developed post-concussion syndrome and was forced to retire.

For more information on brain injury or the conference, call 800-882-0611. Cost for attendance is $150 for professionals and $30 for survivors and families. The conference coincides with March being National Brain Injury Awareness Month. According to the Brain Injury Association of America, a brain injury can be caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head that can change the way a brain normally works. For more information about the association, visit www.biausa.org/.