An increased risk of dementia among individuals exposed to brain trauma, traumatic brain injury, has been known for almost a century. Still, we know very little about the molecular causes behind this, which makes it difficult to find effective treatments to prevent dementia development among those affected with traumatic brain injury. However, a research team at the strategic research area MultiPark, Lund University argues that the blood vessels in the brain hold the keys to future therapies.
Brain trauma usually impairs cerebral blood flow, possibly through pathological changes in the vascular smooth muscle cells in the vascular wall.
These blood flow impairments can lead to secondary brain injuries, worsening the damage to the brain, although it remains unknown exactly how this occurs.
To bridge this gap, Niklas Marklund, professor at Lund University and neurosurgical consultant at Skåne University hospital, decided to take a deeper look into the molecular details together with the experimental scientist Ilknur Özen.
