Study reveals differences in brain pathology between pediatric and adult patients after traumatic brain injury

A study conducted by the University of Glasgow revealed differences in the brains of pediatric and adult patients; This may explain the sometimes catastrophic outcomes seen in children following traumatic brain injury.

Findings It was published in the magazine JAMA Network OpenResearchers have found the first pathological evidence that a pattern of damage to blood vessels occurs over time. severe brain damage It appears to be age dependent. Specifically, vessels showing signs of post-traumatic damage in adult brains were generally medium or larger in size. Against this, pediatric patientsThose damaged were typically the smallest size vessels (capillaries).

For the study, researchers examined postmortem brain tissue samples from 81 pediatric patients (ages 3 to 18) and 62 adults (ages 19 and older). traumatic brain injury.

In addition to vascular pathology, severe brain swelling was much more common among the pediatric cases studied; The authors suggest that this may be a result of differences in blood vessel damage seen after trauma.

Traumatic brain injury is the leading cause of death and permanent disability small children and adolescents. Compared to adults, young patients following TBI have a higher risk of catastrophic outcomes, including widespread brain swelling and so-called second impact syndrome. However, until now the reason for these poor outcomes in pediatric patients was unclear.

Honorary Professor of Glasgow University, consultant neuropathologist Prof. The study, conducted by Willie Stewart, provides important information about significant differences in the response of cerebral blood vessels to injury in pediatrics and children. adult patients.

Prof. Stewart said: “This research has important implications for understanding TBI in young people. Unlike adults, pediatric patients appear to be particularly vulnerable to the catastrophic consequences that can occur after all severities of injury, including mild TBI or concussion.” According to Prof., more research is needed in this area.

“In the meantime, these findings reinforce the rationale behind our ‘If in doubt, leave them out’ approach to concussion management, particularly in youth players and in sports such as rugby.”

Prof. In previous findings by Stewart and collaborators, researchers found that former international rugby players’ risk of neurodegenerative disease was approximately 2.5 times higher than expected, with the risk of disease varying by subtype but not by player’s position. In the FIELD study, the research team reported the first data on neurodegenerative risk among former professional football players.

A parallel study led by Professor Stewart investigated a specific pathology associated with exposure to brain damage. chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) has been highly identified in the brains of former contact sport athletes, including former rugby players.