Xenon treatment after severe traumatic brain injury improves locomotor outcome, reduces acute neuronal loss and enhances early beneficial neuroinflammation: a randomized, blinded, controlled animal study.

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, but there are no clinically proven treatments that specifically target neuronal loss and secondary injury development following TBI. In this study, we evaluate the effect of xenon treatment on functional outcome, lesion volume, neuronal loss and neuroinflammation after severe TBI in rats.

Methods: Young adult male Sprague Dawley rats were subjected to controlled cortical impact (CCI) brain trauma or sham surgery followed by treatment with either 50% xenon:25% oxygen balance nitrogen, or control gas 75% nitrogen:25% oxygen.

Xenon improves long-term cognitive function, reduces neuronal loss and chronic neuroinflammation, and improves survival after traumatic brain injury in mice.

Background: Xenon is a noble gas with neuroprotective properties that can improve short and long-term outcomes in young adult mice after controlled cortical impact. This follow-up study investigates the effects of xenon on very long-term outcomes and survival.

Methods: C57BL/6N young adult male mice (n=72) received single controlled cortical impact or sham surgery and were treated with either xenon (75% Xe:25% O) or control gas (75% N:25% O).