Short-duration treatment with the calpain inhibitor MDL-28170 does not protect axonal transport in an in vivo model of traumatic axonal injury.

Traumatic axonal injury is characterized by early cytoskeletal proteolysis and disruption of axonal transport. Calpain inhibition has been shown to protect axons in rodent models of traumatic brain injury. However, in these models, both white and gray matter are injured, making it difficult to determine if calpain inhibitors are directly protecting injured axons.