Protecting the injured brain and spinal cord

A variety of information is now available about the mechanisms of cellular injury that occur with central nervous system trauma (head and spinal cord injury). Neuronal damage is the consequence of two types of injury. Primary injury occurs at the time of mechanical trauma. Secondary injury is mediated by microvascular and biochemical forces that are set in motion by the injury. Knowledge of secondary injury processes has led to research aimed at interrupting the cascade of autodestruction, providing optimism about future resuscitative methods.