Therapy following TBI and Brain Damage
Oct 24, 2021
An experimental treatment given to mice after a traumatic brain injury (TBI) reduced damage almost to the levels of mice that never had a TBI, researchers at UT Health San Antonio reported. The study was published July 4 in the Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism.⠀
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“After a traumatic brain injury, about 40% of mice experience a seizure within one week, and many continue to experience seizures for years, leading to epilepsy disease,” said study senior author Mark S. Shapiro, Ph.D., professor of cellular and integrative physiology at UT Health San Antonio. “This closely parallels what happens in human patients, followed by cognitive dysfunction and changes in emotional state.”⠀
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The novel therapy increases the activity of “M-type” KCNQ potassium ion channels, which are proteins that can halt uncontrolled electrical currents in nerve cells. Abnormal currents begin immediately after a TBI, even before a seizure has a chance to occur, and the therapy aims to counteract this, thus nipping in the bud this destructive chain of events.⠀
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Study co-author Robert Brenner, Ph.D., of UT Health San Antonio, provided expertise in seizures and seizure monitoring. He said the study’s most important finding is that reducing excess electrical activity in the central nervous system via a therapy such as this has beneficial post-trauma effects that extend well beyond action as an anticonvulsant. These effects include reducing dangerous inflammation and widespread cell death.⠀
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This therapeutic approach is being evaluated for its suitability in humans, Dr. Shapiro said. This includes assessments of its chemical properties, stability, and effects on other organs such as the heart.⠀
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https://news.uthscsa.edu/novel-therapy-administered-after-tbi-prevents-brain-damage/