http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/neu.2012.2691
ABSTRACT
Traumatic
brain injury (TBI) leads to acute functional deficit in the brain.
Molecular events underlying TBI remain unclear. In mouse brains, we
found controlled cortical impact (CCI) injury induced overexpression of
the extracellular calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR), which is known to
stimulate neuronal activity and accumulation of intracellular
Ca<sup> 2+< /sup>, and concurrent down-regulation of type B or
metabotropic GABA receptor 1 (GABA-B-R1), a prominent inhibitory
pathway in the brain. These changes in protein expression preceded and
were closely associated with the loss of brain tissue as indicated by
the increased size of cortical cavity at impact sites and the
development of motor deficit as indicated by the increased frequency of
right-biased swing and turn in the CCI mice. Mild hypothermia, an
established practice of neuroprotection for brain ischemia, partially
but significantly blunted all of the above effects of CCI.
Administration of CaSR antagonist NPS89636 mimicked hypothermia to
reduce loss of brain tissue and motor functions in the CCI mice. These
data together support the concept that CaSR overexpression and
overactivity play a causal role in potentiating TBI potentially by
stimulating excitatory neuronal responses and by interfering with
inhibitory GABA-B-R signaling and that the CaSR could be a novel target
for neuroprotection against TBI.
We were using "mild hypothermia" years ago via cooling blankets for the "at risk"newborns in the hospital I used to work in. My surgeon uses this same technique in one of the most complex brain surgeries performed, cardiac standstill. There is nothing novel about cooling down to save neurons.. it should be standard protocol as you said, starting as soon as the ambulance.
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