Erythropoietin Helps Treat Brain Injury

The molecule erythropoietin plays a role in the brain's response to injury. OU Distinguished Professor Mike Chopp and his team recently tested a recombinant (or genetically engineered) type of erythropoietin to treat head injuries ("Effects of Erythropoietin on Reducing Brain Damage and Improving Functional Outcome after Traumatic Brain Injury in Mice - Laboratory investigation", Journal of Neurosurgery, vol. 109, pp. 510-521, 2008). The results look promising, at least in mice. They conclude "Recombinant human erythropoietin initiated 6 hours post-TBI [traumatic brain injury] provided neuroprotection by decreasing lesion volume and cell loss as well as neurorestoration by enhancing neurogenesis, subsequently improving sensorimotor and spatial learning function."