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Review
. 2016 Sep;34(3):453-64.
doi: 10.1016/j.anclin.2016.04.011.

Neuropathophysiology of Brain Injury

Nidia Quillinan  1 , Paco S Herson  2 , Richard J Traystman  3
Affiliations
Review

Neuropathophysiology of Brain Injury

Nidia Quillinan et al. Anesthesiol Clin. 2016 Sep.

Abstract

Every year in the United States, millions of individuals incur ischemic brain injury from stroke, cardiac arrest, or traumatic brain injury. These acquired brain injuries can lead to death or long-term neurologic and neuropsychological impairments. The mechanisms of ischemic and traumatic brain injury that lead to these deficiencies result from a complex interplay of interdependent molecular pathways, including excitotoxicity, acidotoxicity, ionic imbalance, oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. This article reviews several mechanisms of brain injury and discusses recent developments. Although much is known from animal models of injury, it has been difficult to translate these effects to humans.

Keywords: Apoptosis; Excitotoxicity; Mechanisms of ischemic brain injury; Neuroinflammation; Neurovascular unit; Oxidative stress; Synaptic plasticity; Translation.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Glutamate, reactive oxygen species, and apoptotic cell death pathways. Fas-L, Fas ligand; ROS, reactive oxygen species.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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