Response of the cerebral vasculature following traumatic brain injury

J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 2017 Jul;37(7):2320-2339. doi: 10.1177/0271678X17701460. Epub 2017 Apr 5.

Abstract

The critical role of the vasculature and its repair in neurological disease states is beginning to emerge particularly for stroke, dementia, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, tumors and others. However, little attention has been focused on how the cerebral vasculature responds following traumatic brain injury (TBI). TBI often results in significant injury to the vasculature in the brain with subsequent cerebral hypoperfusion, ischemia, hypoxia, hemorrhage, blood-brain barrier disruption and edema. The sequalae that follow TBI result in neurological dysfunction across a host of physiological and psychological domains. Given the importance of restoring vascular function after injury, emerging research has focused on understanding the vascular response after TBI and the key cellular and molecular components of vascular repair. A more complete understanding of vascular repair mechanisms are needed and could lead to development of new vasculogenic therapies, not only for TBI but potentially vascular-related brain injuries. In this review, we delineate the vascular effects of TBI, its temporal response to injury and putative biomarkers for arterial and venous repair in TBI. We highlight several molecular pathways that may play a significant role in vascular repair after brain injury.

Keywords: Angiogenesis; brain trauma; neurovascular unit; regeneration and recovery; vasculogenesis.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biomarkers / metabolism
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / immunology
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / metabolism
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / pathology
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / physiopathology
  • Brain Injuries, Traumatic / immunology
  • Brain Injuries, Traumatic / metabolism
  • Brain Injuries, Traumatic / pathology
  • Brain Injuries, Traumatic / physiopathology*
  • Cerebral Arteries / immunology
  • Cerebral Arteries / metabolism
  • Cerebral Arteries / pathology
  • Cerebral Arteries / physiopathology*
  • Cerebral Veins / immunology
  • Cerebral Veins / metabolism
  • Cerebral Veins / pathology
  • Cerebral Veins / physiopathology*
  • Cerebrovascular Circulation / immunology
  • Cerebrovascular Circulation / physiology*
  • Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Neovascularization, Physiologic*
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / metabolism

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Fibroblast Growth Factor 2