Journal of neurotrauma
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Journal of neurotrauma · Jan 2023
Imaging of White Matter Injury Correlates with Plasma and Tissue Biomarkers in Pediatric Porcine Model of Traumatic Brain Injury.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) causes significant white matter injury, which has been characterized by various rodent and human clinical studies. The exact time course of imaging changes in a pediatric brain after TBI and its relation to biomarkers of injury and cellular function, however, is unknown. To study the changes in major white matter structures using a valid model of TBI that is comparable to a human pediatric brain in terms of size and anatomical features, we utilized a four-week-old pediatric porcine model of injury with controlled cortical impact (CCI). ⋯ There was also an increase in choline/creatinine ratio in these regions indicating rapid membrane turnover. Given the need for a pediatric TBI model that is comparable to human pediatric TBI, these data support the use of a pediatric pig model with CCI in future investigations of therapeutic agents. This model will allow future TBI researchers to rapidly translate our pre-clinical study findings into clinical trials for pediatric TBI.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Jan 2023
Editorial CommentCombinatorial Diagnostics of Sports-Related Concussion.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Dec 2022
Randomized Controlled TrialCaffeine enhances intermittent hypoxia-induced gains in walking function for people with chronic spinal cord injury.
Incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI) often results in lifelong walking impairments that limit functional independence. Thus, treatments that trigger enduring improvement in walking after iSCI are in high demand. Breathing brief episodes of low oxygen (i.e., acute intermittent hypoxia, AIH) enhances breathing and walking function in rodents and humans with chronic iSCI. ⋯ We quantified walking function as the change in the 10-meter walk test (speed) and 6-min walk test (endurance) relative to baseline, on Day 5 post-intervention, and on follow-up Days 12 and 19. Participants walked faster (Day 19; p < 0.001) and farther (Day 19; p = 0.012) after caffeine+AIH and the boost in speed persisted more than after placebo+AIH or caffeine+SHAM (Day 19; p < 0.05). These results support our hypothesis that a caffeine pre-treatment to AIH training shows promise as a strategy to augment walking speed in persons with chronic iSCI.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Dec 2022
ReviewQuantifying intraparenchymal hemorrhage after traumatic spinal cord injury - a review of methodology.
Intraparenchymal hemorrhage (IPH) after a traumatic injury has been associated with poor neurological outcomes. Although IPH may result from the initial mechanical trauma, the blood and its breakdown products have potentially deleterious effects. Further, the degree of IPH has been correlated with injury severity and the extent of subsequent recovery. ⋯ Despite long-standing recognition of the potential pathological significance of IPH within the spinal cord, quantifying IPH with MRI or US is a relatively new area of research. Further studies are warranted to investigate their potential use. Here, we review the different and emerging quantitative MRI, US, and histological approaches used to detect and quantify IPH following SCI.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Dec 2022
The adverse effects of repeated, intravenous morphine on recovery following spinal cord injury in young, male rats are blocked by a kappa opioid receptor antagonist.
Immediately following spinal cord injury (SCI) patients experience pain associated with injury to the spinal cord and nerves as well as with accompanying peripheral injuries. This pain is usually treated with opioids, and most commonly with morphine. However, in a rodent model we have shown that, irrespective of the route of administration, morphine administered in the acute phase of SCI undermines long-term locomotor recovery. ⋯ Supporting this hypothesis, we found that blocking KOR activation in young, male rats prevented the negative effects of morphine on locomotor recovery, although neither norBNI nor morphine had an effect on long-term pain at the doses used. We also found that norBNI treatment blocked the adverse effects of morphine on lesion size. These data suggest that a KOR antagonist given in conjunction with morphine may provide a clinical strategy for effective analgesia without compromising locomotor recovery after SCI.