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from the when-it-is-not-too-swell-to-swell dept.
A team of biomedical engineering researchers at the University of Arkansas have identified a cause of fluid swelling of the brain, or cellular edema,that occurs during a concussion.
The researchers discovered that pre-treating the cells with an existing, FDA-approved drug used for epilepsy and altitude sickness reduces the expression of a specific protein that causes swelling.
Their findings were published in a recent issue of Nature’s Scientific Reports .
“Our study found that mild traumatic brain injury resulted in increased expression of a protein called aquaporin-4, which caused a massive cellular influx of fluid, leading to increased astrocyte cell volume and injury,” said Kartik Balachandran, assistant professor of biomedical engineering. “We then worked with a drug called Acetazolamide. Our results showed that Acetazolamide minimized cell swelling and injury, suggesting a therapeutic role for this drug in reducing the detrimental effects of concussions.”
(Score: 3, Informative) by Spamalope on Friday November 25 2016, @12:23PM
I suffered a concussion from an accident. The after effects caused pain directly in the brain that was able to bypass the normal pain upper limit before the pain receptors are swamped and you stop feeling more. You know the way a normal injury dulls to throbbing after a minute or two? This increased from the normal high point instead, to a level where it was difficult and then impossible to be aware of anything else. The pain didn't begin to diminish for nearly two weeks. Doctors wouldn't prescribe effective pain medication (years ago the 'War on drugs' reached such a hysteria that even terminal cancer patients weren't treated. :/ ). The psychological effects of that experience were profound. I'll start shaking if I simply try to remember how it felt.
It appears that this could have prevented a great deal of that pain. It if passes trials this will improve the outcome for some people in a really profound, life changing way.
(Score: 1, Offtopic) by captain normal on Friday November 25 2016, @05:46PM
That sounds a lot like the way Ethanol Fueled feels every morning.
Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts"- --Daniel Patrick Moynihan--
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 25 2016, @07:15PM
Based on the above 10 second assessment I believe it is unlikely this research will lead to anything of value. The report most likely consists of misinformation.