Citation

Chen YH, Yi-Kung E, Kuo TT, Miller J, Chiang YH, Hoffer BJ. Cell Transplant. 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Department of Neurosurgery, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Cognizant Communication)

DOI

10.3727/096368917X694787

PMID

28105985

Abstract

Brain trauma is often associated with severe morbidity and is a major public health concern. Even when injury is mild and no obvious anatomic disruption is seen, many individuals suffer disabling neuropsychological impairments such as memory loss, mood dysfunction, substance abuse, and adjustment disorder. These changes may be related to subtle disruption of neural circuits as well as functional changes at the neurotransmitter level. In particular, there is considerable evidence that dopamine physiology in the nigrostriatal and mesocorticolimbic pathways might be impaired after TBI. Alterations in dopamine levels can lead to oxidative stress and cellular dysfunction, and dopamine plays an important role in central nervous system inflammation. Therapeutic targeting of dopamine pathways may offer benefits for both neuronal survival and functional outcome after TBI. The purpose of this review is to discuss the role of dopamine pathology in acute TBI and the potential impact of therapies that target these systems for TBI treatment.

Language: en