Articles: traumatic-brain-injuries.
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Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a devastating disease that commonly causes persistent mental disturbances and cognitive deficits. Although studies have indicated that overproduction of free radicals, especially superoxide (O2(-)) derived from nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase is a common underlying mechanism of pathophysiology of TBI, little information is available regarding the role of apocynin, an NADPH oxidase inhibitor, in neurological consequences of TBI. Therefore, the present study evaluated the therapeutic potential of apocynin for treatment of inflammatory and oxidative damage, in addition to determining its action on neuromotor and memory impairments caused by moderate fluid percussion injury in mice (mLFPI). ⋯ Moreover, apocynin treatment reduced oxidative damage (protein carbonyl, lipoperoxidation) and was effective against mLFPI-induced Na(+), K(+)-ATPase activity inhibition. The present results were accompanied by effective reduction in lesion volume when analyzed 7days after neuronal injury. These data suggest that superoxide (O2(-)) derived from NADPH oxidase can contribute significantly to cognitive impairment, and that the post injury treatment with specific NADPH oxidase inhibitors, such as apocynin, may provide a new therapeutic approach to the control of neurological disabilities induced by TBI.
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · Nov 2013
Long-term disability and survival in traumatic brain injury: results from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research Model Systems.
To document long-term survival in 1-year survivors of traumatic brain injury (TBI); to compare the use of the Disability Rating Scale (DRS) and FIM as factors in the estimation of survival probabilities; and to investigate the effect of time since injury and secular trends in mortality. ⋯ Long-term survival prognosis in TBI depends on age, sex, and disability. FIM and DRS are useful prognostic measures with comparable statistical performance. Age- and disability-specific mortality rates in TBI have not declined over the last 20 years. A survival prognosis calculator is available online (http://www.LifeExpectancy.org/tbims.shtml).
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Neurorehabil Neural Repair · Nov 2013
Neuroprotective, neuroplastic, and neurobehavioral effects of daily treatment with levetiracetam in experimental traumatic brain injury.
Prophylactic treatment with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) has been recommended to prevent early seizure onset in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, the potential neuroprotective and/or detrimental effects of prophylactic AED treatment on behavioral and cognitive function after TBI are not well studied. ⋯ These results suggest that daily LEV treatment has beneficial effects on histological, molecular, and behavioral elements of neurological recovery after TBI, in part, via modulation of neuroinflammatory and excitatory pathways.
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Neuroscience letters · Oct 2013
Mannitol enhances therapeutic effects of intra-arterial transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells into the brain after traumatic brain injury.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) sustained in a traffic accident or a fall is a major cause of death that affects a broad range of ages. The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of intra-arterial transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) combined with hypertonic glycerol (25%) or mannitol (25%) in a TBI model of rats. TBI models were produced with a fluid percussion device. ⋯ Immunohistochemically, more MSCs were observed in the injured brain tissues of mannitol-treated rats than in glycerol or PBS-treated rats at 24h after transplantation. Intra-arterial transplantation of MSCs combined with mannitol is an effective treatment in a TBI model of rats. This technique might be used for patients with diseases of the central nervous system including TBI.