Neurogenesis in Adult Human Brain after Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract

While much work has been conducted regarding the neurogenesis response to traumatic brain injury (TBI) in rodents, it remains largely unknown whether neurogenesis in adult human brain also responds to TBI in a similar manner. Here, we performed immunocytochemistry on 11 brain specimens from patients with traumatic brain injury, who underwent surgical intervention. We found that expression of neural stem/progenitor cell (NSC) protein markers, including DCX, TUC4, PSA-NCAM, SOX2 and NeuroD, was increased in the perilesional cortex of human brain after TBI compared to that of normal brain. Confocal images showed that these NSC proteins were expressed in one single cell. We also found that proliferative markers were expressed in NSC protein-positive cells after TBI, and the number of proliferative NSCs was significantly increased after TBI. Our data suggest that TBI may also induce neurogenesis in human brain.

Methamphetamine decreases dentate gyrus stem cell self-renewal and shifts the differentiation towards neuronal fate

“…Moreover, we had previously demonstrated that METH induces an increase of glutamate release from DG neurospheres and the inhibition of NMDA receptors protects DG cells from METH toxicity (Baptista et al, 2012). In fact, several brain injuries, such as status epilepticus (Sugaya et al, 2010), cerebral ischemia (Choi et al, 2012) and traumatic brain injury (Zheng et al, 2013) can increase neurogenesis, and glutamate seems to play a central role upon activation of NMDA receptors (Arvidsson et al, 2001;Urbach et al, 2008). Indeed, Nacher et al (2003) observed that a single injection of NMDA receptor antagonist (CGP-43487, 5 mg/kg) prevents age-induced decrease of SGZ cell proliferation and neurogenesis in both middle-aged (10 month-old) and aged (20 month-old) Fisher F344 rats.…”

Stem Cell Therapy in Brain Trauma: Implications for Repair and Regeneration of Injured Brain in Experimental TBI Models

“…Furthermore, we and others have found that injury-induced newly generated granular cells integrate into the existing hippocampal circuitry (Emery et al, 2005;Sun et al, 2007), and this endogenous neurogenesis is associated to the innate cognitive recovery after injury (Sun et al, 2007). In human brain specimens, a recent study has found an increased number of cells expressing NSCs/NPCs markers in the perilesion cortex in the injured brain (Zheng et al, 2013). These studies strongly indicated the inherent attempts of the brain to repair and regenerate after injury through endogenous NSCs.…”

The potential of endogenous neurogenesis for brain repair and regeneration following traumatic brain injury

“…Furthermore, we and other have found that injury-induced newly generated granular cells integrate into the existing hippocampal circuitry (Emery et al, 2005;Sun et al, 2007), and this endogenous neurogenesis is associated with innate cognitive recovery following injury (Sun et al, 2007). In human brain specimens, a recently study has found an in- creased number of cells expressing NS/NPCs markers in the perilesion cortex in the injured brain (Zheng et al, 2013). These studies strongly indicated the inherent attempts of the brain to repair and regenerate following injury.…”