Neurosurgery
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There is no proven effective therapy to prevent early brain injury (EBI) after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) despite extensive research efforts. Sphingosine kinase (SphK) 1 has been reported as an important signaling node in antiapoptotic signaling. Heparin is a pleiotropic drug that antagonizes many pathophysiological mechanisms. In this study, we evaluated if heparin prevents EBI after SAH by antiapoptotic mechanisms including SphK1. ⋯ Low-dose heparin posttreatment may decrease the development of post-SAH EBI through anti-apoptotic mechanisms, including sphingosine-related pathway activation, implying its efficacy for early prevention of brain injury after acute aneurysm rupture in a clinical setting.
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While acute disc herniation-induced radiculopathy most frequently resolves without clinical sequelae, a fraction of patients experience long-term sensory dysfunction. This study examined chronic sensitivity of the rodent hind paw following resolution of acute inflammatory neuropathy. ⋯ Noncompressive disc herniation sensitizes the sciatic nerve distribution in this animal model, despite resolution of acute intraneural macrophage migration. The demonstrated role of TRPV1 may explain how acute inflammatory pain transforms into chronic neuropathic pain. Decreasing TRPV1 expression may prevent the development of the long-term painful phenotype.