Operation Brain Trauma Therapy
Abstract
Operation brain trauma therapy (OBTT) is a multicenter, pre-clinical, drug screening and brain injury biomarker development consortium for TBI. OBTT includes investigators at the Safar Center (University of Pittsburgh), the University of Miami, WRAIR, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Banyan Biomarkers. Three rodent models (controlled cortical impact, parasagittal fluid percussion, and penetrating ballistic-like brain injury) are used for drug screening with the most promising candidates tested in a micropig model. We have completed studies with nicotinamide, erypthropoietin (EPO), and cyclosporine-A (CsA), and have just begun testing of simvastatin. We plan to test Minocycline and levetiracetam this year of funding. Studies with nicotinamide suggest some benefit of 50 mg/kg on motor outcomes, but variable benefit on cognitive outcomes. Studies with EPO did not appear promising. Studies with CsA have been completed; data analysis is ongoing. Studies of the serum brain injury biomarker GFAP from these rats have provided the first ever cross-model biomarker comparison and suggest that GFAP may be useful for drug screening, since nicotinamide treatment significantly reduced serum GFAP levels in two models. A consortium overview was published in Journal of Trauma and numerous abstracts were presented at the 2011 ATACCC, the 2012 NNT congress, and the 2012 MHSRS conference.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2012
- Accession Number
- ADA566948
Entities
People
- Patrick M. Kochanek
Organizations
- University of Pittsburgh