Pharmacology of Traumatic Brain Injury: Where Is the “Golden Bullet”?
Open Access
- 1 November 2008
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Molecular Medicine
- Vol. 14 (11-12), 731-740
- https://doi.org/10.2119/2008-00050.beauchamp
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) represents a major health care problem and a significant socioeconomic challenge worldwide. In the United States alone, approximately 1.5 million patients are affected each year, and the mortality of severe TBI remains as high as 35%-40%. These statistics underline the urgent need for efficient treatment modalities to improve posttraumatic morbidity and mortality. Despite advances in basic and clinical research as well as improved neurological intensive care in recent years, no specific pharmacological therapy for TBI is available that would improve the outcome of these patients. Understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the pathophysiological events after TBI has resulted in the identification of new potential therapeutic targets. Nevertheless, the extrapolation from basic research data to clinical application in TBI patients has invariably failed, and results from prospective clinical trials are disappointing. We review the published prospective clinical trials on pharmacological treatment modalities for TBI patients and outline future promising therapeutic avenues in the field.This publication has 126 references indexed in Scilit:
- Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors: “Key” Regulators of Neuroinflammation after Traumatic Brain InjuryPPAR Research, 2008
- Inhibition of the alternative complement activation pathway in traumatic brain injury by a monoclonal anti-factor B antibody: a randomized placebo-controlled study in miceJournal of Neuroinflammation, 2007
- Immune control by endocannabinoids — New mechanisms of neuroprotection?Journal of Neuroimmunology, 2007
- The use of state workers' compensation administrative data to identify injury scenarios and quantify costs of work-related traumatic brain injuriesJournal of Safety Research, 2006
- Effect of methylphenidate on ICU and hospital length of stay in patients with severe and moderate traumatic brain injuryClinical Neurology and Neurosurgery, 2006
- Detrimental Role of Bradykinin B2Receptor in a Murine Model of Diffuse Brain InjuryJournal of Neurotrauma, 2003
- Nimodipine in traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage: A re-analysis of the HIT I and HIT II trialsActa Neurochirurgica, 1996
- LazaroidsDrugs, 1995
- Use of a Biophysical-Kinetic Model to Understand the Roles of Protein Binding and Membrane Partitioning on Passive Diffusion of Highly Lipophilic Molecules Across Cellular BarriersJournal of Drug Targeting, 1993
- Ischemic neuronal damage after acute subdural hematoma in the rat: effects of pretreatment with a glutamate antagonistJournal of Neurosurgery, 1991