We are learning a lot about brain inflammation causes, treatments and effects We are learning more about the benefits of neuroprotective chemicals.. Can we reverse the damage from years of harmful inflammation on the brain?
Hi Andrew Lever ,
Good topic for discussion!
Neuroprotection has long been a subject with diverse research but still less reliable statistical and pragmatic results in translational medicine.
What is crucial in order to see the effects of suggested or alleged neuroprotective chemicals is a solid animal and cellular research and then a long-term study of effects on humans if approved and allowed.
We have performed a research on the neuroprotective and therapeutic effects of certain neuropeptides like ghrelin and leptin on AD-induced memory loss in a rather long-term research layout, and although the results were promising on spatial and aversive learning, we still think that we have to expand the research further into a comparative case study or even a complementary meta-analysis before we step forward to start our pilot study on human subjects.
Reversal of damage or memory loss or any other disorder characteristics have to be proven in a comparative study among a large population and in a long-term study.
Besides, reversal of brain damage depends on the type of trauma, disorder or disease and the severity or level of the pathology. Brain tissue damage following a global ischemia or a hemorrhagic stroke is almost irreversible. Even psychological disorders such as PTSD and major anxiety or depression can leave a mark without 100 percent reversal to healthy state. The small and less severe the damage is (although the type of damage is an important determinant), the probability of reversal is higher. Age also plays a key factor as the older tissue can heal less frequently.
This takes us back to an important question. Is the inflammation acute or chronic? so long the inflammation did not progress to damage of the cells, there is a way for partial remission; bearing in mind that cells of the brain do not regenerate as the skin or other tissues.
I totally agree with the first answer. Even though reversing brain damage seems so far away now, the fact is that a few years ago we weren't able to provide Stroke patients any kind of specified acute care treatment!
- Badges
- Science topic