The cascade of damage is based on the need for the brain tissue to stop trying to use damaged cells. The damaged cells release a message, either by tRNA (transmitting RNA) or some other system of messenger that causes the surrounding cells that show any signs of stress to shut down (die). Think of it as cutting out a piece of electrical wire that is shorting out to ground, if you understand electrical principles.

There are two natural ways the brain can lessen this cascade of damage or cell death. In women, the body releases higher levels of progesterone so that the development of a fetus can tolerate the stresses of development. This same system appears to be helpful in head injury patients. Research is being completed that suggests an IV infusion of progesterone immediately after a head injury or stroke can drastically reduce this cascade of cell death.

The protocol for use of progesterone in emergency rooms is being currently investigated. The last I read, it sounds like a daily infusion of progesterone for the first 8 days to 2 weeks then decreasing the frequency for a few weeks. It sounds very promising.

A key point that makes it available is the fact that they have not found any negatives, even when used with males. The FDA may decide it is an exempt therapy because of this lack of negative risk. The question will be the availability of bio-identical progesterone. The patented progesterones used by women would not likely pass this 'no negative risk' criteria. Plus, I would personally be very hesitant to use a modified progesterone.

There is also those who suggest a specially modified magnesium can help with this cascade of damage and death. It sounds like this is targeted at the failure of magnesium in the synapse to allow correct ion exchanges to happen. This modified magnesium is promoted as able to restore this function. I posted an article last week about the magnesium being considered.

There is a hope that stem cell therapies can help the damaged and stressed brain cells based on early studies. It sounds like the stems cells can present a message that over-rides the "shut down and die" message sent out by the damaged cells. This is likely a few years or more in the future. There was a post about this research last week too under neural cell rescue.

For the time being, my wife knows to ask if I can get an infusion of progesterone if I suffer another brain injury.

I just did a search on the progesterone issue and found this article;

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0219204407.htm