title: Evaluation of a novel calcium channel blocker, (S)-emopamil, on regional cerebral edema and neurobehavioral function after experimental brain injury.
abstract: The authors investigated the effects of a novel calcium channel blocker, (S)-emopamil, on cerebral edema and neurobehavioral and memory function following experimental fluid-percussion brain injury in the rat. Two independent experiments were performed to evaluate the effects of this compound on cardiovascular variables and postinjury cerebral edema (increases in tissue water content), and on cognitive deficits and neurological motor function following brain injury. Treatment with (S)-emopamil significantly reduced focal brain edema at 48 hours after brain injury. Profound memory dysfunction induced by brain injury was significantly attenuated following (S)-emopamil treatment. In addition, (S)-emopamil also attenuated the deficits in motor function that were observed over a 2-week period following brain injury. These results suggest that changes in calcium homeostasis may play an important role in the pathogenesis of trauma to the central nervous system and that the calcium channel blocker (S)-emopamil might be a useful compound for the treatment of traumatic brain injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okiyama
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: McIntosh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D014700:Verapamil / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D014700:Verapamil; C052752:emopamil