No abstract

Dietary supplementation with a fish oil concentrate rich in the O3FAs EPA and DHA increases serum levels of these same fatty acids in a dose-response effect. Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation significantly reduces the number of APP-positive axons at 30 days postinjury to levels similar to those in uninjured animals. Omega-3 fatty acids are safe, affordable, and readily available worldwide to potentially reduce the burden of traumatic brain injury.

Dietary supplementation with DHA increases serum levels and, if given prior to traumatic brain injury, reduces the injury response, as measured by axonal injury counts, markers for cellular injury and apoptosis, and memory assessment by water maze testing. This uniform response was seen for the highest dosage group, 40 mg/kg given over 30 days prior to injury, but when measured by stereological counting methodology there was a positive response to anatomical injury across low to high doses of DHA. The potential for DHA to provide prophylactic benefit to the brain against traumatic injury appears promising and requires further investigation.

Using a standard acceleration-deceleration laboratory model of mild traumatic brain injury, we have shown successful prevention of axonal injury after IJV compression as indicated by immunohistochemical staining of amyloid precursor protein. We argue that IJV compression reduces slosh-mediated brain injury by increasing intracranial blood volume, which can be indirectly measured by intracranial and intraocular pressures.

No abstract