title: Brain and spinal cord interaction: a dietary curcumin derivative counteracts locomotor and cognitive deficits after brain trauma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In addition to cognitive dysfunction, locomotor deficits are prevalent in traumatic brain injured (TBI) patients; however, it is unclear how a concussive injury can affect spinal cord centers. Moreover, there are no current efficient treatments that can counteract the broad pathology associated with TBI.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The authors have investigated potential molecular basis for the disruptive effects of TBI on spinal cord and hippocampus and the neuroprotection of a curcumin derivative to reduce the effects of experimental TBI.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors performed fluid percussion injury (FPI) and then rats were exposed to dietary supplementation of the curcumin derivative (CNB-001; 500 ppm). The curry spice curcumin has protective capacity in animal models of neurodegenerative diseases, and the curcumin derivative has enhanced brain absorption and biological activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results show that FPI in rats, in addition to reducing learning ability, reduced locomotor performance. Behavioral deficits were accompanied by reductions in molecular systems important for synaptic plasticity underlying behavioral plasticity in the brain and spinal cord. The post-TBI dietary supplementation of the curcumin derivative normalized levels of BDNF, and its downstream effectors on synaptic plasticity (CREB, synapsin I) and neuronal signaling (CaMKII), as well as levels of oxidative stress-related molecules (SOD, Sir2).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These studies define a mechanism by which TBI can compromise centers related to cognitive processing and locomotion. The findings also show the influence of the curcumin derivative on synaptic plasticity events in the brain and spinal cord and emphasize the therapeutic potential of this noninvasive dietary intervention for TBI.
authors.affiliation: University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Aiguo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Zhe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ying
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schubert
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gomez-Pinilla
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D003474:Curcumin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010291:Paresis / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D011720:Pyrazoles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: C529348:CNB 001; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D011720:Pyrazoles; D003474:Curcumin