UNN scientists develop a method for restoring brain function after traumatic brain injury
Oxygen deficiency and oxidative stress resulting from traumatic brain injury cause damage to brain cells and tissues. According to the research by Nizhny Novgorod scientists, molecular hydrogen can mitigate these processes by enhancing oxygen delivery and blood flow. Consequently, the functional state of the brain improves, and cognitive abilities and motor activity are restored.
"Nerve cells are highly sensitive to oxygen deprivation and exposure to free radicals. Due to its antioxidant properties, molecular hydrogen reduces oxidation and restores red blood cells. These cells are responsible for oxygen delivery and maintain the redox balance. By protecting them, we can improve the body's condition on various levels," said the study's author Dr. Anna Deryugina, Head of the Department of Physiology and Anatomy at the UNN Institute of Biology and Biomedicine.
The effectiveness of molecular hydrogen has been demonstrated in experiments on laboratory animals with mild and moderate traumatic brain injury. The rats received water enriched with molecular hydrogen at a dose of 0.3-0.5 ml/kg per day. Within 10 days, their red blood cell counts returned to normal, and their cognitive functions were restored. According to the scientists, the model was designed to closely mimic human traumatic brain injury.
"Protecting red blood cells with molecular hydrogen in traumatic brain injury shows promise for clinical applications. Unlike other antioxidants, molecular hydrogen is non-toxic, regardless of the dose or duration of administration. This allows for experimentation with post-traumatic therapies and achieving the desired therapeutic effects," Anna Deryugina added.
Researchers are currently gathering data on the effectiveness of molecular hydrogen in treating traumatic brain injury and other diseases. They also plan to conduct experiments on biomodels with severe traumatic brain injury. This study is part of the ongoing research conducted by Lobachevsky University and the Korolev Specialized Cardiac Surgery Clinical Hospital in Nizhny Novgorod to expand the clinical application of molecular hydrogen.
The project was implemented by scientists from the Department of Physiology and Anatomy at the UNN Institute of Biology and Biomedicine. Their findings have been published in domestic and international scientific journals. A Eurasian patent has been issued for the proposed technology with the support of the UNN Innovation Development Centre.
