The pathophysiology of post-traumatic brain injury (TBI) behavioral and cognitive changes is not fully understood, especially in its mild presentation. We designed a weight drop TBI model in mice to investigate the role of neuroinflammation in behavioral and cognitive sequelae following mild TBI. C57BL/6 mice displayed depressive-like behavior at 72 h after mild TBI compared with controls, as indicated by a decrease in the latency to first immobility and climbing time in the forced swim test. Additionally, anxiety-like behavior and hippocampal-associated spatial learning and memory impairment were found in the elevated plus maze and in the Barnes maze, respectively. Levels of a set of inflammatory mediators and neurotrophic factors were analyzed at 6 h, 24 h, 72 h, and 30 days after injury in ipsilateral and contralateral hemispheres of the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. Principal components analysis revealed two principal components (PC), which represented 59.1% of data variability. PC1 (cytokines and chemokines) expression varied between both hemispheres, while PC2 (neurotrophic factors) expression varied only across the investigated brain areas. Our model reproduces mild TBI-associated clinical signs and pathological features and might be a valuable tool to broaden the knowledge regarding mild TBI pathophysiology as well as to test potential therapeutic targets.
Brain Concussion , Brain Injuries, Traumatic , Mice , Animals , Brain Concussion/complications , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Brain/pathology , Brain Injuries, Traumatic/complications , Nerve Growth Factors , Cognition , Maze Learning/physiology , Disease Models, Animal
BACKGROUND: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a serious public health problem worldwide. Although TBI is common in developing countries, there are few epidemiological studies. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the sociodemographic and clinical features of patients with TBI at the Hospital João XXIII, a public reference center for trauma in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and to systematically review the available literature on TBI in Brazil. METHODS: Clinical and sociodemographic data were collected from electronic medical records for the entire month of July 2016. The literature on epidemiology of TBI in Brazil was systematically reviewed using MeSH/DeCS descriptors in the PubMed and Lilacs databases. RESULTS: Most patients admitted with TBI were male and under 60 years of age. Mild TBI was the most prevalent form and the most common cause of TBI was falls. A Glasgow Coma Scale score below 12, neuroimaging changes on computer tomography, and presence of any medical conditions were significantly associated with longer hospital stay. Brazilian studies showed that TBI affected mainly men and young adults. In addition, mild TBI was the most common TBI severity reported and the most common causes were motor vehicle accidents and falls. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the profile of TBI in this center reflects the data from other Brazilian studies.
Brain Injuries, Traumatic , Brain Injuries, Traumatic/diagnostic imaging , Brain Injuries, Traumatic/epidemiology , Brazil/epidemiology , Epidemiologic Studies , Female , Glasgow Coma Scale , Hospitalization , Humans , Male , Young Adult
ABSTRACT Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a serious public health problem worldwide. Although TBI is common in developing countries, there are few epidemiological studies. Objective: To investigate the sociodemographic and clinical features of patients with TBI at the Hospital João XXIII, a public reference center for trauma in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and to systematically review the available literature on TBI in Brazil. Methods: Clinical and sociodemographic data were collected from electronic medical records for the entire month of July 2016. The literature on epidemiology of TBI in Brazil was systematically reviewed using MeSH/DeCS descriptors in the PubMed and Lilacs databases. Results: Most patients admitted with TBI were male and under 60 years of age. Mild TBI was the most prevalent form and the most common cause of TBI was falls. A Glasgow Coma Scale score below 12, neuroimaging changes on computer tomography, and presence of any medical conditions were significantly associated with longer hospital stay. Brazilian studies showed that TBI affected mainly men and young adults. In addition, mild TBI was the most common TBI severity reported and the most common causes were motor vehicle accidents and falls. Conclusions: Overall, the profile of TBI in this center reflects the data from other Brazilian studies.
RESUMO Antecedentes: O traumatismo cranioencefálico (TCE) representa, mundialmente, um problema sério de saúde pública. Apesar de o TCE ser prevalente em países em desenvolvimento, estudos epidemiológicos permanecem escassos. Objetivo: Investigar as características sociodemográficas e clínicas de pacientes acometidos por TCE no Hospital João XXIII - centro de referência em trauma situado em Belo Horizonte, Brasil - e revisar sistematicamente toda a literatura disponível sobre o TCE no Brasil. Métodos: Os dados clínicos e sociodemográficos foram coletados apenas para o mês de julho, 2016, por meio de prontuários eletrônicos. A literatura sobre a epidemiologia do TCE no Brasil foi sistematicamente revisada usando descritores Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)/Descritores em Ciências da Saúde (DeCS) nos bancos de dados PubMed e Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde (Lilacs). Resultados: Os pacientes acometidos por TCE eram em sua maioria homens com menos de 60 anos. O TCE leve foi a gravidade mais prevalente entre os casos. O TCE foi causado principalmente por quedas. Escores menores que 12 na escala de Coma de Glasgow mais alterações de neuroimagem em tomografia computadorizada e a presença de qualquer comorbidade médica estão significativamente associados à maior estadia hospitalar. Estudos brasileiros demonstraram que o TCE acomete principalmente homens e adultos jovens. Além disso, o TCE leve foi a gravidade mais comum reportada, e os mecanismos de TCE mais comuns foram acidentes automobilísticos e quedas. Conclusões: O perfil de pacientes acometidos por TCE no centro de referência em questão reflete os dados de outros estudos brasileiros.
ABSTRACT Background: Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection has been identified as a risk factor for schizophrenia. Objectives: Herein, we sought to evaluate the association between T. gondii infection and clinical symptoms and quality of life in patients with schizophrenia. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study with 48 patients with chronic schizophrenia and 40 controls. Peripheral blood was drawn, and IgM and IgG anti-T. gondii antibodies were evaluated by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Depressive, positive and negative symptoms were assessed, respectively, by the Calgary Depression Scale (CDS) and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Cognitive performance was assessed in patients by the Brazilian version of the Schizophrenia Cognition Rating Scale (SCoRS-BR). Quality of life was assessed by the Brazilian version of the Quality of Life in Schizophrenia scale (QLS-BR). Results: The prevalence and titers of T. gondii IgM and IgG antibodies did not differ between patients and controls. The positive serology for T. gondii IgG antibodies was not associated with illness symptoms, cognitive performance, depressive symptoms or quality of life. Discussion: Our findings suggest that toxoplasmosis infection is not associated with severity of symptoms, quality of life, cognitive or depressive symptoms in schizophrenia patients.
