Stem Cells in Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a devastating clinical condition that often causes permanent incapacity, especially in the younger population. The clinical relevant of TBI justifies the scientific interest in the pathophysiology of TBI, as well as in protective effects and development of treatment options. Stem cells have the ability to induce neuroprotection and neural repair inflammatory suppression, causing tissue reconstruction completely or partially damaged cells to preventing cell death to evolve. However the neurological improvement observed in preclinical studies and clinical tests based on neurological and behavioral disorders and the mechanism of action of stem cells remains unknown. In this study the authors discuss the current status of using stem cells to treat TBI, including the basic cell types and potential mechanisms of action, preclinical data and points out lack of studies and hurdles for clinical application. The authors also focusing on the recent demonstration that neurogenesis occurs in all mammals throughout adult life, although at a low rate, is possible to induce neurogenesis de novo in the adult mammalian brain, particularly in the neocortex where it does not normally occur and that it may become possible to manipulate endogenous multipotent precursors in situ to replace lost or damaged neurons. Elucidation of the relevant molecular controls may both allow control over transplanted precursor cells and potentially allow the development of neuronal replacement therapies for neurodegenerative disease and other central nervous system injuries that do not require transplantation of exogenous cells. Discuss strategies of enhance the neurogenesis (for example by exogenous tropics factor administration) and the transplantation of different types of neural progenitor cells after TBI. Each strategy is discussed with an emphasis on highlighting the progress and limiting factors relevant to the development of clinical trials of cellular replacement therapy for severe TBI in humans.

Enhancing Motivation by Use of Prescription Stimulants: The Ethics of Motivation Enhancement

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“…Besides affecting dopamine and noradrenaline receptors in the central nervous system, amphetamine also affects serotonin, a neurotransmitter that affects mood. See Ranisch et al (2013) for a more detailed explanation of the physiological effects of amphetamine.…”

Cognitive Enhancement to Overcome Laziness: Ethically Wrong or Just Stupid?

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“…The same is true if they hope to increase intelligence by taking "smart drugs." Adderall has various side effects and might just be the wrong means to achieve the desired ends (Lakhan and Kirchgessner 2012;Ranisch et al 2013).…”

Transplantation of Neural Progenitor Cells within Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogel in Traumatic Brain Injury in Experiment

“…Absence of significant success of drug therapy [3], limited ability of neurogenesis in adults organism [4] cause the study of fundamental regeneration mechanisms of the injured brain areas and developing principally new methods of TBI treatment. The development of adequate matrix-carrier for transplanted cells, which would create a specific microenvironment with prolonged recovery process of neural networks and tissue structure regeneration is one of the most promising methods of the treatment of TBI [5][6][7].…”