Current Research Description

Inflammation following traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a dynamic response of both the central and peripheral nervous systems, which is influenced by age, sex, injury location and severity. Because inflammation occurs after all brain injuries, I considers it an integral component of recovery. TBI is not an isolated event, and data indicate that pre- and post-injury immune challenges influence the response to TBI and chronic recovery. Additionally, evidence suggests that the brain’s stress response to an immune challenge is compromised following TBI. As a result, subsequent life stressors that further challenge the immune system alter long-tern recovery from TBI. We predict that post-injury sleep disruption is a significant and understudied stressor that largely influences outcome through inflammatory pathways.