Journal of neurotrauma
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Journal of neurotrauma · Apr 2019
Dual-Energy Computed Tomography Imaging of Head: Virtual High-Energy Monochromatic (190 keV) Images Are More Reliable Than Standard 120 kV Images for Detecting Traumatic Intracranial Hemorrhages.
High-energy monochromatic (190 keV) images may be more reliable than standard 120 kV Images for detecting intracranial hemorrhages. We aimed to retrospectively compare virtual high monochromatic (190 keV) and standard 120 kV images from dual-energy computed tomography (CT; DECT) for the diagnosis of intracranial hemorrhages in traumatic brain injury (TBI). We analyzed admission CT studies in 100 trauma patients. ⋯ However, 190 keV images were inferior to standard 120 kV images in diagnosis of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) (thin-sections, p = 0.059; thick-sections, 0.0075). The 190 keV images yielded moderate increase in CI of contusions (Cohen's d > 0.53) and a large increase in CI of extra-axial hematomas (Cohen's d > 0.86). Our results indicate that virtual high monochromatic (190 keV, thin-section) images combined with standard 120 kV images may provide optimal diagnostic performance for evaluation of patients suspected of TBI.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Apr 2019
Beneficial Effects of Kaempferol after Developmental Traumatic Brain Injury Is through Protection of Mitochondrial Function, Oxidative Metabolism, and Neural Viability.
Oxidative energy metabolism is depressed after mild/moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI) during early development, accompanied by behavioral debilitation and secondary neuronal death. A TBI metabolome analysis revealed broad effects with a striking impact on energy metabolism. Our studies on mitochondrial modulators and their effects on brain function have shown that kaempferol, a stimulator of the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter channel (mCU), enhanced neural and neurovascular activity in the normal brain and improved stimulus-induced brain activation and behavior after TBI during early development. ⋯ Decrease in pyruvate and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle flux were observed in the untreated and vehicle-treated group, consistent with previously established energy metabolic decline after TBI. Kaempferol improved TCA cycle flux, maintained mitochondrial functional integrity as observed by decreased acyl carnitines, improved neural viability as evidenced by higher N-acetyl aspartate levels. The positive outcomes of kaempferol on metabolic profile corresponded with improved sensorimotor behavior.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Apr 2019
Effects of Phenelzine Administration on Mitochondrial Function, Calcium Handling, and Cytoskeletal Degradation after Experimental Traumatic Brain Injury.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) results in the production of peroxynitrite (PN), leading to oxidative damage of lipids and protein. PN-mediated lipid peroxidation (LP) results in production of reactive aldehydes 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) and acrolein. The goal of these studies was to explore the hypothesis that interrupting secondary oxidative damage following a TBI via phenelzine (PZ), analdehyde scavenger, would protect against LP-mediated mitochondrial and neuronal damage. ⋯ Although PZ treatment attenuated aldehyde accumulation post-injury, the effects were insignificant. The amount of α-spectrin breakdown in cortical tissue was reduced by PZ administration at 24 h, but not at 72 hpi compared with vehicle-treated animals. In conclusion, these results indicate that acute PZ treatment successfully attenuates LP-mediated oxidative damage eliciting multiple neuroprotective effects following TBI.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Apr 2019
Inhibition of Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 Attenuates Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption after Traumatic Brain Injury in Mice.
Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) is expressed widely in the central nervous system and is activated by various stimuli. Inhibiting TRPV1 has neuroprotective effects in cerebral ischemia. The role of inhibiting TRPV1 to maintain blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity after traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains unclear, however. ⋯ Capsazepine significantly alleviated early-stage apoptosis by attenuating activation of JNK, P38, and caspase-3, resulting in a protective effect on the level of ZO-1 in bEnd.3 cells after stretch injury. We conclude that the expression of TRPV1 is upregulated after TBI, and inhibition of TRPV1 attenuated disruption of the BBB in a mouse model of TBI, at least partly, through its antiapoptotic effects on brain endothelial cells. Blocking TRPV1 may be a promising pharmacotherapeutic intervention to protect against BBB disruption after TBI.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Apr 2019
Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging Unveils the Spatiotemporal Microstructural Gray Matter Changes following Injury in the Rodent Brain.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with gray and white matter alterations in brain tissue. Gray matter alterations are not yet as well studied as those of the white matter counterpart. This work utilized T2-weighted structural imaging, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and diffusion kurtosis imaging to unveil the gray matter changes induced in a controlled cortical impact (CCI) mouse model of TBI at 5 h, 1 day, 3 days, 7 days, 14 days, and 30 days post-CCI. ⋯ Mean diffusivity (MD) was significantly lower in the pericontusional cortex. Increased MD and decreased mean kurtosis were limited to the injury site on Days 7 to 30 and to the contralateral hippocampus and thalamus on Days 3 and 7. This work is one of the few cross-sectional studies to demonstrate a link between MRI measures and histopathological readings to track gray matter changes in the progression of TBI.