title: Damage to histaminergic tuberomammillary neurons and other hypothalamic neurons with traumatic brain injury.
abstract: The need for increased sleep after traumatic brain injury is a common and disabling complaint, yet its etiology is unknown. Previous studies have demonstrated diffuse damage to various hypothalamic systems, but the integrity of the histaminergic tuberomammillary nucleus, a major arousal-promoting system located in the posterior hypothalamus, has never been examined in head trauma patients. Here, we demonstrate that severe head trauma is associated with a marked loss (41%) of histaminergic neurons. Reduced histamine signaling may contribute to increased sleep need, and therapies that enhance histaminergic tone may improve arousal after head trauma or other conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA; Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Philipp O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Valko
authors.forename: Yury V
authors.initials: YV
authors.lastname: Gavrilov
authors.forename: Mihoko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Kristen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Finn
authors.forename: Hasini
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Haybaeck
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weis
authors.forename: Thomas E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Scammell
authors.forename: Christian R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Baumann
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001317:Austria; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D006632:Histamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D006640:Histidine Decarboxylase / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007026:Hypothalamic Area, Lateral / Q000473:pathology*; D007028:Hypothalamic Hormones / Q000378:metabolism; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000473:pathology; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008543:Melanins / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism; D000068797:Orexins; D010907:Pituitary Hormones / Q000378:metabolism; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices
chemical_list: D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D007028:Hypothalamic Hormones; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008543:Melanins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D000068797:Orexins; D010907:Pituitary Hormones; C019463:melanin-concentrating hormone; D006632:Histamine; D006640:Histidine Decarboxylase