ORLANDO, FL, February 28, 2017 -- Two-time Olympic medalist Erika Holst, one of Sweden's leading women hockey players, is planning a visit this summer to Plasticity Brain Centers, the innovative treatment clinic for traumatic brain injuries located in Orlando, Florida, where she will meet and begin her next phase of treatment in the care of Dr. Matthew M. Antonucci, Director of Neurological Performance and Rehabilitation at the Centers.

Ms. Holst's achievements as captain of Sweden's national women's hockey team are well documented. An explosive power forward, she was the team's engine leading them to two consecutive European Championships winning silver in 1995 and gold in 1996. She followed that with two Olympic team medals, skating to a surprise bronze finish in 2002 and silver in 2006.

In 2012 all eyes were on Erika and the team as they prepared to compete for a spot in the 2014 Sochi Olympics, but those hopes were dashed when she suffered a devastating concussion that changed the course of her life.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) in the U.S. have been on the rise with more than 1.7 million people yearly, sustaining a TBI. Among athletes that number is around 1.6 - 3.8 million annually and is associated with a wide range of long-term cognitive deficits according to a study published in the Journal of Neurotrauma. But as evidenced by Erika's case, this is an issue that crosses geographic boundaries. Erika's injury left her in constant pain. She struggled with severe headaches, vision and balance issues that disabled her ability to function on any level, causing her to withdraw from almost all social interactions. For almost two years, her life was turned upside down and her doctors offered little hope that she would ever make a full recovery.

In 2014 Erika paid a visit to the Carrick Institute in Atlanta, Georgia, founded by Dr. Ted Carrick, a leading authority in the treatment of neurological conditions, world renowned for his breakthrough approach. She had heard about the facility from a friend. At the Institute she was placed on a ten day, intense course of treatment supervised directly by Dr. Carrick and an international team of highly trained specialists. "I was exhausted and I felt no difference the first few days," she recalls. "But then on the seventh-day things turned around." And while she has experienced significant improvement since her visit to the Carrick Institute, these types of injuries can require long-term care or additional evaluation.

In June, Erika will travel to Orlando and will be placed in the care Dr. Antonucci and a team of neuroscience specialists and board-certified experts, who like Dr. Antonucci, were trained and mentored by Dr. Carrick, and are considered some of the most experienced doctors in the treatment of brain-related injuries and neurodegenerative disorders.

The team at Plasticity Brain Centers has been charting new pathways in the use of non-invasive neurorehabilitation treatments, with a high degree of success. This revolutionary, research-based approach is built on a single scientific concept known as "neuroplasticity," the scientifically proven understanding that the brain, even when injured, is capable of learning, changing, and improving with significant potential for growth throughout a patient's entire life.

At Plasticity Brain Centers they use a comprehensive set of exams and proprietary diagnostic technology to help pinpoint the exact brain functions that need treatment. In this way, they can individualize care, and customize the treatment plan that is most effective for each patient.

"Today we are seeing increased interest in our approach, coming from the sports community," says Dr. Antonucci who is delighted to be involved in helping Erika on her journey to full recovery.

The uptick related to these injuries has led the CDC along with the World Health Organization and several other medical organizations, to declare it "a major public health problem" worldwide, and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons has identified TBI as the leading cause of death among athletes.

For more information on Plasticity Brain Centers, their approach, cutting-edge treatment, effective therapies, and proprietary diagnostic technology visit www.plasticitybraincenters.com.

Plasticity Brain Centers offer non-invasive neuro-rehabilitation based on a single scientific principle: "the brain is capable of learning and changing throughout a patient's entire life." The Centers' neuroscience specialists and board-certified experts provide a revolutionary, research-based approach to neurological rehabilitation that is based on this scientifically-proven approach that the brain is capable of learning, changing, and improving with significant potential for growth. The experienced staff of therapists, doctors, and neurologists offer cutting-edge treatment for patients suffering from traumatic brain injuries, degenerative brain diseases, and developmental disorders. Their approach, which combines uniquely effective therapies with proprietary diagnostic technology, significantly improves neurological function and performance in as little as five days.