Thalamic inflammation after brain trauma is associated with thalamo-cortical white matter damage. Issue 1 (December 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Scott, Gregory; Hellyer, Peter; Ramlackhansingh, Anil; Brooks, David; Matthews, Paul; Sharp, David
• Is Part Of: Journal of neuroinflammation. Volume 12:Issue 1(2015)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 5
• Publication Date: 2015-12
• Subjects: Microglia -- Translocator protein -- Positron emission tomography -- Traumatic brain injury -- Traumatic axonal injury -- PK11195 -- Thalamus; Central nervous system -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Inflammation -- Periodicals; 616.8
• DOI: 10.1186/s12974-015-0445-y
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1742-2094

Abstract

Abstract Background Traumatic brain injury can trigger chronic neuroinflammation, which may predispose to neurodegeneration. Animal models and human pathological studies demonstrate persistent inflammation in the thalamus associated with axonal injury, but this relationship has never been shown in vivo. Findings Using [11 C]-PK11195 positron emission tomography, a marker of microglial activation, we previously demonstrated thalamic inflammation up to 17 years after traumatic brain injury. Here, we use diffusion MRI to estimate axonal injury and show that thalamic inflammation is correlated with thalamo-cortical tract damage. Conclusions These findings support a link between axonal damage and persistent inflammation after brain injury.