Brain Disorders and Therapeutics

Biography

Biography: Hans von Holst

Abstract

Brain diseases such as traumatic brain injury often present with cytotoxic brain tissue edema as a secondary consequence\r\nto ischemia. The pathophysiological mechanisms are known to some extent but far from complete. Using an advanced\r\ncomputational simulation model the consequences of kinetic energy transfer following external dynamic impacts were analyzed\r\nincluding the intracranial pressure (ICP), strain level and their potential influences on the non-covalent and covalent bonds in\r\nfolded protein structures. Based on clinical material the simulations showed that the transferred kinetic energy is mainly absorbed\r\nby the skin and three bone layers. Also, a substantial amount of kinetic energy reached the gray and white matter. Thus, the kinetic\r\nenergy from a dynamic impact has the theoretical potential to interfere not only with non-covalent but also covalent bonds when\r\nhigh enough. The induced mechanical strain and pressure may further interfere with the protein structures as well as the energy\r\nrich bonds in nucleotide adenosine-triphosphates. This event causes attraction of increased water molecules into the unfolded\r\nprotein structures and could to some extent explain the etiology to cytotoxic brain tissue edema. Based on the new knowledge\r\nit is realistic to suggest a change the neurosurgical treatment of today by using neuro-engineering simulations already before a\r\nneurosurgical procedure is taking place. Thus, the innovative hypothesis makes it possible to open up for new drug and infusion\r\ntreatments aiming at reducing the severe consequences of cytotoxic brain tissue edema to further improve the prognosis following\r\ntraumatic brain injury.