Reducing Memory Dysfunction Following Brain Injury

描述（由申请人提供）：在大鼠、小鼠、非人类灵长类动物和人类患者中进行的研究表明，海马是颞叶内的一个结构，在学习和记忆中起着至关重要的作用，该结构的损伤会导致严重的损伤。由于这一基本的认知功能对日常活动至关重要，学习和记忆功能障碍使人难以保住工作、管理财务和计划日常活动。这些问题严重损害了创伤性脑损伤患者的生活质量，可能妨碍康复的有效性，并阻碍他们恢复独立的生活方式。利用脑损伤的实验模型，包括我们在内的许多研究人员已经表明，创伤性脑损伤导致海马细胞死亡和功能障碍，这是学习和记忆缺陷的基础。通过一系列实验，我们已经确定了两种能够增加细胞保护基因表达的化合物，这些基因是许多细胞类型（包括神经元）的内源性基因，并由转录因子Nrf2激活。我们的工作假设是，脑外伤后给予这些新发现的化合物将通过增加nrf2驱动基因的表达来减少继发性病理和改善学习和记忆。我们将使用生化、分子、基因和行为测试的组合来检查损伤后这些化合物的施用是否可以降低血脑屏障的通透性，提供神经保护，并改善学习和记忆。如果成功，这项基于机制的研究结果可能为在遭受创伤性脑损伤的患者中进行临床试验铺平道路。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Studies performed in rats, mice, non-human primates, and human patients have demonstrated that the hippocampus, a structure within the temporal lobe, plays a critical role in learning and memory, and damage to this structure can result in profound impairments. As this basic cognitive function is critical for day-to-day activities, learning and memory dysfunction makes it difficult to hold a job, manage one's finances, and plan daily activities. These problems severely compromise the quality of life for persons with traumatic brain injury, can hamper the effectiveness of rehabilitation, and hinder a return to an independent lifestyle. Using experimental models of brain injury, a number of investigators including us have shown that traumatic brain injury causes hippocampal cell death and dysfunction that underlies learning and memory deficits. Through a series of experimentats, we have identified two compounds that are capable of increasing the expression of cytoprotective genes, which are endogenous to a number of cell types including neurons and are activated by the transcription factor Nrf2. Our working hypothesis is that post-TBI administration of these newly identified compounds will reduce secondary pathologies and improve learning and memory by increasing the expression of Nrf2-driven genes. We will use a combination of biochemical, molecular, genetic and behavioral tests to examine if post-injury administration of these compounds can decrease blood-brain barrier permeability, offer neuroprotection, and improve learning and memory. If successful, the results from this mechanism-based study may pave the way for clinical testing in patients who have sustained a traumatic brain injury.