scholarly journals The Dual Dose-Dependent Effects of Corticosterone on Hippocampal Cell Apoptosis After Traumatic Brain Injury Depend on the Activation Ratio of Mineralocorticoid Receptors to Glucocorticoid Receptors

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bin Zhang ◽  
Mengshi Yang ◽  
Qiongyu Yan ◽  
Xiaojian Xu ◽  
Fei Niu ◽  
...  

In our recent studies, we reported that mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) had the opposite effects of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) on neural cell survival after traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, whether short-term use of high-dose natural glucocorticoids, which are mixed agonists of both MR and GR, leads to neurotoxic effects by inducing excessive GR activation is unclear, as is the threshold GR activation level and the possible signaling pathways remain unclear. In this study, we examined the dual dose-dependent effects of corticosterone (CORT) on spatial memory, hippocampal cell survival and receptor-mediated downstream signaling pathways after TBI. We found that different doses of CORT exhibited dual effects on hippocampal cell survival and rat spatial memory. Low doses of CORT (0.3 and 3 mg/kg) significantly increased MR activation, upregulated Akt/CREB/Bad phosphorylation and Bcl-2 concentration, reduced the number of apoptotic neural cells, and subsequently improved rat spatial memory. In contrast, a high dose of CORT (30 mg/kg) exerted the opposite effects by overactivating GR, upregulating P53/Bax levels, and inhibiting Erk/CREB activity. The results suggest that the neuroprotective and neurotoxic effects of endogenous GC depend on a threshold level and that a higher dose of GC, even for short-term use, should be avoided after TBI.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bin Zhang ◽  
Mengshi Yang ◽  
Qiongyu Yan ◽  
Xiaojian Xu ◽  
Fei Niu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Our recent studies reported the opposite effects of mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) on neuron survival after traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, as a mixed agonist for MR and GR, whether short term use of high-dose endogenous glucocorticoids exerts neurotoxic effects by excessive activation of GR, what is the set-point, and the possible signaling pathways remain unclear. This study examined the dose-dependent dual effects of corticosterone (CORT) on the spatial memory, the survival of hippocampal neurons and the possible receptor-mediated downstream signaling pathways after TBI.Methods: Based on controlled cortical impact (CCI) and CORT treatments, Sprague-Dawley rats (n=168) were randomly divided into the sham, CCI, CCI + CORT1 (0.3 mg/kg), CCI + CORT2 (3 mg/kg), CCI + CORT3 (30 mg/kg), CCI + CORT1 + spirolactone (spirolactone: 50 mg/kg/d), and CCI + CORT3 + RU486 (RU486: 50 mg/kg/d) groups. Brain tissues were collected on postinjury day 3 and processed for histology and western blot analysis.Results: On postinjury day 3, we tested the learning and memory ability, neuronal apoptosis in the hippocampus, activation levels of MR and GR, Bcl-2 family proteins, and apoptosis-related intracellular signaling pathways. We found that different doses of CORT exhibited dual effects on the survival of hippocampal neurons and the spatial memory. Lower doses of CORT (0.3, 3 mg/kg) significantly increased the activation of MR, upregulated the phosphorylation of Akt/CREB/Bad and the Bcl-2 expression, reduced the number of apoptotic neurons, and subsequently improved the spatial memory. In contrast, higher dose of CORT (30 mg/kg) exerted opposite effect by over activating GR, upregulating the expressions of P53/Bax, and inhibiting the Erk/CREB activities. Conclusion: The results suggest that there is a threshold between the neuroprotective and neurotoxic effects of endogenous GC, higher dose of which, even for short-term use, should also be avoided after TBI.


2021 ◽  
Vol 92 (5) ◽  
pp. 519-527
Author(s):  
Yasmina Molero ◽  
David James Sharp ◽  
Brian Matthew D'Onofrio ◽  
Henrik Larsson ◽  
Seena Fazel

ObjectiveTo examine psychotropic and pain medication use in a population-based cohort of individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI), and compare them with controls from similar backgrounds.MethodsWe assessed Swedish nationwide registers to include all individuals diagnosed with incident TBI between 2006 and 2012 in hospitals or specialist outpatient care. Full siblings never diagnosed with TBI acted as controls. We examined dispensed prescriptions for psychotropic and pain medications for the 12 months before and after the TBI.ResultsWe identified 239 425 individuals with incident TBI, and 199 658 unaffected sibling controls. In the TBI cohort, 36.6% had collected at least one prescription for a psychotropic or pain medication in the 12 months before the TBI. In the 12 months after, medication use increased to 45.0%, an absolute rate increase of 8.4% (p<0.001). The largest post-TBI increases were found for opioids (from 16.3% to 21.6%, p<0.001), and non-opioid pain medications (from 20.3% to 26.6%, p<0.001). The majority of prescriptions were short-term; 20.6% of those prescribed opioids and 37.3% of those with benzodiazepines collected prescriptions for more than 6 months. Increased odds of any psychotropic or pain medication were associated with individuals before (OR: 1.62, 95% CI: 1.59 to 1.65), and after the TBI (OR: 2.30, 95% CI: 2.26 to 2.34) as compared with sibling controls, and ORs were consistently increased for all medication classes.ConclusionHigh rates of psychotropic and pain medications after a TBI suggest that medical follow-up should be routine and review medication use.


Function ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrian M Sackheim ◽  
Nuria Villalba ◽  
Maria Sancho ◽  
Osama F Harraz ◽  
Adrian D Bonev ◽  
...  

Abstract Trauma can lead to widespread vascular dysfunction, but the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Inward-rectifier potassium channels (Kir2.1) play a critical role in the dynamic regulation of regional perfusion and blood flow. Kir2.1 channel activity requires phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2), a membrane phospholipid that is degraded by phospholipase A2 (PLA2) in conditions of oxidative stress or inflammation. We hypothesized that PLA2–induced depletion of PIP2 after trauma impairs Kir2.1 channel function. A fluid percussion injury model of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in rats was used to study mesenteric resistance arteries 24 hours after injury. The functional responses of intact arteries were assessed using pressure myography. We analyzed circulating PLA2, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and metabolites to identify alterations in signaling pathways associated with PIP2 in TBI. Electrophysiology analysis of freshly-isolated endothelial and smooth muscle cells revealed a significant reduction of Ba2+-sensitive Kir2.1 currents after TBI. Additionally, dilations to elevated extracellular potassium and BaCl2- or ML 133-induced constrictions in pressurized arteries were significantly decreased following TBI, consistent with an impairment of Kir2.1 channel function. The addition of a PIP2 analog to the patch pipette successfully rescued endothelial Kir2.1 currents after TBI. Both H2O2 and PLA2 activity were increased after injury. Metabolomics analysis demonstrated altered lipid metabolism signaling pathways, including increased arachidonic acid, and fatty acid mobilization after TBI. Our findings support a model in which increased H2O2-induced PLA2 activity after trauma hydrolyzes endothelial PIP2, resulting in impaired Kir2.1 channel function.


2015 ◽  
Vol 122 (1) ◽  
pp. 211-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nils Petter Rundhaug ◽  
Kent Gøran Moen ◽  
Toril Skandsen ◽  
Kari Schirmer-Mikalsen ◽  
Stine B. Lund ◽  
...  

OBJECT The influence of alcohol is assumed to reduce consciousness in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI), but research findings are divergent. The aim of this investigation was to study the effects of different levels of blood alcohol concentration (BAC) on the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores in patients with moderate and severe TBI and to relate the findings to brain injury severity based on the admission CT scan. METHODS In this cohort study, 265 patients (age range 16–70 years) who were admitted to St. Olavs University Hospital with moderate and severe TBI during a 7-year period were prospectively registered. Of these, 217 patients (82%) had measured BAC. Effects of 4 BAC groups on GCS score were examined with ordinal logistic regression analyses, and the GCS scores were inverted to give an OR > 1. The Rotterdam CT score based on admission CT scan was used to adjust for brain injury severity (best score 1 and worst score 6) by stratifying patients into 2 brain injury severity groups (Rotterdam CT scores of 1–3 and 4–6). RESULTS Of all patients with measured BAC, 91% had intracranial CT findings and 43% had BAC > 0 mg/dl. The median GCS score was lower in the alcohol-positive patients (6.5, interquartile range [IQR] 4–10) than in the alcohol-negative patients (9, IQR 6–13; p < 0.01). No significant differences were found between alcohol-positive and alcohol-negative patients regarding other injury severity variables. Increasing BAC was a significant predictor of lower GCS score in a dose-dependent manner in age-adjusted analyses, with OR 2.7 (range 1.4–5.0) and 3.2 (range 1.5–6.9) for the 2 highest BAC groups (p < 0.01). Subgroup analyses showed an increasing effect of BAC group on GCS scores in patients with Rotterdam CT scores of 1–3: OR 3.1 (range 1.4–6.6) and 6.7 (range 2.7–16.7) for the 2 highest BAC groups (p < 0.01). No such relationship was found in patients with Rotterdam CT scores of 4–6 (p = 0.14–0.75). CONCLUSIONS Influence of alcohol significantly reduced the GCS score in a dose-dependent manner in patients with moderate and severe TBI and with Rotterdam CT scores of 1–3. In patients with Rotterdam CT scores of 4–6, and therefore more CT findings indicating increased intracranial pressure, the brain injury itself seemed to overrun the depressing effect of the alcohol on the CNS. This finding is in agreement with the assumption of many clinicians in the emergency situation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 46
Author(s):  
G. Lakshmi Prasad

Background: Brain edema is a common phenomenon after traumatic brain injury (TBI) resulting in increased intracranial pressure and subsequent neurological deterioration. Experimental studies have proven that brain edema is biphasic (cytotoxic followed by vasogenic). Till date, all studies, including the corticosteroid randomization after significant head injury (HI) trial, have used high-dose steroids in the acute period during which the edema is essentially cytotoxic in nature. No clinical data exist pertaining to delayed cerebral edema (vasogenic) and steroids. Methods: Patients who had received steroids for delayed cerebral edema after TBI were retrospectively analyzed over a 2-year period. Steroid dose, timing of steroid prescription, time to improvement of symptoms, and complications were noted. Results: There were six males and three females. Mean age was 41.1 years. There were no severe HI cases. All subjects had cerebral contusions on imaging. Dexamethasone was the preferred steroid starting with 12 mg/day and tapered in 5–7 days. The mean interval to steroid administration after trauma was 7 days. The mean duration of steroid prescription was 6.3 days. All patients had complete symptomatic improvement. The mean time to symptom resolution was 3.8 days. No patients experienced any complications pertinent to steroid usage. Conclusion: This is the first study to document efficacy of steroids for delayed cerebral edema after TBI, at least in mild/moderate head injuries. The timing of steroid usage and dose of steroids is key aspects that might determine its efficacy in TBI which was the drawbacks of the previous studies. Future prospective trials with the above factors in consideration may confirm/refute above findings.


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