Making Sense of Gut Feelings in the Traumatic Brain Injury Pathogenesis

Publication date: Available online 16 May 2019Source: Neuroscience & Biobehavioral ReviewsAuthor(s): Luiz Fernando Freire Royes, Fernando Gomez-PinillaAbstractTraumatic brain injury (TBI) is a devastating condition which often initiates a sequel of neurological disorders that can last throughout lifespan. From metabolic perspective, TBI also compromises systemic physiology including the function of body organs with subsequent malfunctions in metabolism. The emerging panorama is that the effects of TBI on the periphery strike back on the brain and exacerbate the overall TBI pathogenesis. An increasing number of clinical reports are alarming to show that metabolic dysfunction is associated with incidence of long-term neurological and psychiatric disorders. The autonomic nervous system, associated hypothalamic-pituitary axis, and the immune system are at the center of the interface between brain and body and are central to the regulation of overall homeostasis and disease. We review the strong association between mechanisms that regulate cell metabolism and inflammation which has important clinical implications for the communication between body and brain. We also discuss the integrative actions of lifestyle interventions such as diet and exercise on promoting brain and body health and cognition after TBI.

Source: Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews - May 16, 2019 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research