Affiliations: Brain Research Laboratory, Department of Emergency
Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
Note: [] Corresponding author: Badrinarayanan S. Kasturi, Ph.D., Brain
Research Laboratory, 1365 B Clifton Rd., N.E, Suite 5100, Emory University
School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. Tel.: +1 404 727 2389; Fax: +1 404
727 2388; E-mails: [email protected]; [email protected]
Abstract: Purpose: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) -induced brain edema can be
reduced by acute progesterone (PROG) treatment in young adult males and
females, and in aged males. To extend these findings we tested these
hypotheses: 1. Acute PROG treatment post-TBI will reduce cortical edema in aged
females as much as in young adults. 2. TBI will induce edema in sub-cortical
structures (SCS): the thalamus (TH), hypothalamus (HT), brain stem (BS) and
anterior pituitary (AP). 3. Acute, systemic PROG treatment post-TBI will reduce
edema in SCS. Methods: Young adult (n=42) and aged (n=40), bilaterally
ovariectomized rats were given medial frontal cortical (MFC) contusion injury,
treated with PROG (16 mg/kg body weight) or vehicle at 1, 6 and 24 hours
post-injury and killed at 6, 24 and 48 hours post-injury. Their brains were
removed and the target areas isolated and measured for water content. Results: TBI induced cortical and delayed sub-cortical edema. Acute
PROG treatment decreased this edema. At 6 hours post-TBI serum PROG levels were
substantially elevated in both young and aged, PROG-treated, groups, but were
higher in the latter. Conclusion: Acute PROG treatment post-TBI could prove an effective
intervention to prevent or attenuate systemic, post-injury cortical and
sub-cortical edema in young and aged females.
