Long-term intracerebral inflammatory response after experimental focal brain injury in rat

HEAD injury is a risk factor for development of the sporadic form of Alzhei mer's disease (AD) and chronic anti-inflammatory treatment reduces the prev alence of AD. This study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that inflamm atory reactions persist in the long term. Rats were subjected to moderate f ocal brain injury. The brains were analyzed after 3 months by immunohistoch emistry. Persistent major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-II up-regulation , mononuclear phagocytes, interleukin OL)-1-beta and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha synthesis (p < 0.01) were detected in large areas of the ipsila teral hemisphere. The fact that a long-term inflammation is detectable foll owing experimental brain injury corroborates the hypothesis that persistent posttraumatic inflammation is a possible factor in the causative chain of traumatically induced dementia. NeuroReport 10:1889-1891 (C) 1999 Lippincot t Williams & Wilkins.