title: Modulation of traumatic brain injury using progesterone and the role of glial cells on its neuroprotective actions.
abstract: TBI is a complex disease process caused by a cascade of systemic events. Attention is now turning to drugs that act on multiple pathways to enhance survival and functional outcomes. Progesterone has been found to be beneficial in several animal species, different models of brain injury, and in two preliminary human clinical trials. It holds promise as a treatment for TBI. Progesterone's multiple mechanisms of action may work synergistically to prevent the death of neurons and glia, leading to reduced morbidity and mortality. This review highlights the importance of glial cells as mediators of progesterone's actions on the CNS and describes progesterone's pleiotrophic effects on immune enhancement and neuroprotection in TBI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University Reanimation Engineering Shock Center, Richmond, Virginia, United States. vfeeser@mcvh-vcu.edu
authors.forename: V Ramana
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Feeser
authors.forename: Roger M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Loria
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D011374:Progesterone