A new study published in the Journal of Anaesthesia shows that xenon gas may help prevent the serious consequences of a traumatic brain injury if applied soon after a traumatic brain injury. Researchers from Imperial College London and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz haze found a possible use of the anesthetic drug xenon may help stop the lasting effects of a traumatic brain injury.
About Traumatic Brain Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries are the leading cause of death and disability in individuals under 45 years old in industrial countries. During a traumatic brain injury, the victim often experiences a loss of brain tissue integrity and cognitive function, which ultimately decreases their life expectancy. They are also more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Traumatic brain injuries often affect every facet of a victim’s life. Patients who sustain a traumatic brain injury early in life are eight times more likely to die prematurely than other people who do not sustain such injuries. Additionally, these injuries are often expensive to treat and may lead to permanent changes for the victim and his or her family.
Causes of TBIs
Traumatic brain injuries are usually caused by some external injury to the head, such as injuries that occur during:
- Car accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Incidents with defective products
This primary injury is often followed by a secondary injury that forms in the hours or days after the initial accident.
New Study Focuses on Use of Xenon Gas for TBI Treatment
The secondary injury is usually responsible for the mental and physical disabilities that accompany traumatic brain injuries. Up until now, there have not been effective drug treatments after the trauma occurs that halt it from developing. This causes patients to have a reduced life expectancy and an increased likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. The only known treatments for TBIs are rehabilitative and supportive.
Researchers placed the mice into three different categories: a healthy control group, a group that had TBI and xenon treatment and another group that had a TBI but no xenon. The researchers then tested the mice for learning and memory two weeks and then 20 months after the injury. The researchers also recorded the time of death for the mice and their brain tissues.
The study found that xenon prevented early death, protected brain tissue and improved long-term cognition in the mice test subjects. This was the first life-long study on mice. Researchers found that mice that received the gas had a similar life expectancy, brain tissue integrity and cognitive function when compared to other mice that did not have a TBI.
The research team had previously discovered that xenon limited early bran damage and also improved long-term motor function in mice with traumatic brain injuries. This study added to these findings by showing the changes in life expectancy and other factors and was the first of its kind to study the lifespan of mice after using the gas.
Other findings included:
- Xenon treatment prevented or significantly reduced damage to key brain areas involved in cognitive functioning
- Xenon prevented the loss of brain cells in the part of the brain associated with learning and memory
- Xenon prevented degeneration of nerve fibers in the part of the brain that connects two brain hemispheres
- Xenon reduced long-term brain inflammation connected to Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia
Xenon is currently being used as an anesthetic. It does not have many side effects and can be delivered to patients via inhalation or mechanical ventilation.
Significance of the Findings
The researchers explain that the findings are important because they provide important insight into new treatments for traumatic brain injury cases, which are currently only treated through supportive and rehabilitative options. The study did not test human subjects, and xenon has not yet been tested on humans for the treatment of TBIs. However, there is an emerging body of evidence that suggests that it could be helpful in preventing a secondary injury from developing. Researchers believe that xenon inhibits NMDA receptors in the brain that often become over-activated after a brain injury. The researchers also point out that following the outcomes in mice for 20 months is equivalent to following a person into their 80s. The researchers are looking forward to continuing their research and learning how xenon might be able to prevent cognitive decline and improve life expectancy for patients with TBIs. Personal injury victims who have developed TBIs may be able to recover from these injuries if xenon proves effective and safe in humans.
