New Treatment Targeting Brain Inflammation
Brain inflammation is responsible for a lot of the cognitive decline that people suffer following a severe injury or illness. Now, it appears that there might be a drug that can prevent this. For decades, medical scientists and researchers have been working hard to come up with ways to combat the severe complications that follow a traumatic brain injury. Some of the reasons why these complications develop include a disruption in the flow of blood throughout the brain tissues, the death of critical neurons, and the inflammation that develops following a blow to the head.
What is Inflammation?
Inflammation is the body’s natural response to an injury or illness. When inflammation develops, the body is trying to generate a response that makes the environment inhospitable for invaders while also promoting the healing process. The body does this by rushing cells and fluid to the area in question.
Unfortunately, too much inflammation can cause additional damage. Some of the signs of inflammation include redness, warmth, swelling, pain, and the development of a fever. When these signs and symptoms take place in the skull following a traumatic brain injury, serious complications can result. Brain inflammation can lead to swelling of the brain, the development of scar tissue, and the death of neurons. For this reason, research has been conducted to figure out how to fight brain inflammation.
The Results of a Research Study
A research article was recently published in a journal called Science Translational Medicine. This article was published by a team of researchers from the University of California at Berkeley. In the study, a team of scientists worked with animals to test a new drug that was under development.
The researchers tracked the animals during their normal lifespan, taking images of their brains along the way. The researchers found that brain inflammation can actually cause the development of leaks throughout the blood-brain barrier. Leaks in the blood-brain barrier of humans can occur following a blow to the head.
The consequences of brain inflammation and blood-brain barrier damage can be severe. The researchers discovered that animals who developed these complications suffered events that were similar to seizures. These events were captured on an EEG machine. These momentary lapses in brain functioning can disrupt the rhythm of neural tissues, leading to serious complications.
A Potential Drug Target
To prevent this brain inflammation from developing, the researchers sought to target a molecule called TGF beta. TGF beta has been implicated as one of the culprits causing brain inflammation. The researchers thought that if they could come up with a drug that would reduce levels of TGF beta, brain function might be preserved.
They found that a common blood pressure medication, called Losartan, might be able to do exactly that. The scientists administered Losartan to some of the research subjects. They found that this medication reduced the frequency of seizure-like events. By knocking out receptors for TGF beta, cognitive function improved. On imaging, these brains looked like they had been regenerated.
This is an exciting development that still needs further follow-up. The researchers need to figure out if this medication has any other effects on the health of these animals. They also need to move these experiments into the clinical setting, where its impacts on humans can be closely studied. If brain inflammation can be reduced, it can make a significant difference in someone’s prognosis following a brain injury.
Watch YouTube Video: How to Reduce Brain Inflammation & Boost Function. In the video below, Thomas DeLauer, an organic food expert discusses three food items you can add to your diet to help reduce brain inflammation.
Ukiah Brain Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Ukiah Brain Injury Lawyer. This new treatment option has the potential to prevent brain inflammation and long-term cognitive damage. If someone you love has sustained a brain injury due to the negligence of someone else, you may contact me by calling (707) 564-1900 or (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly advice.
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Citation of Picture: Pixabay.com
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