Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading global health concern. The initial insult, known as primary injury, causes alterations in the brain called secondary injury. Brain swelling is a critical secondary injury response that detrimentally contributes to patient disability and mortality. The main water channel in the brain, known as aquaporin-4 (AQP4), is responsible for regulating water content in the brain, allowing water movement in and out of cells. Experimental studies demonstrate that changes in AQP4 location, rather than its levels, drive brain swelling after TBI. However, there is limited evidence in humans to confirm whether these changes occur after TBI.

This project aims to examine post-mortem brain tissue from individuals who died within a week of TBI and compare it to tissue from individuals without brain injury. The study aims to analyse the distribution of AQP4 in the injured brain and to determine how AQP4 localisation changes in response to TBI. Understanding how water regulation is disrupted in the human brain after TBI may help guide future research into treatments aimed at reducing brain swelling and improving patient outcomes.

Abbreviations

AQP4: aquaporin-4
IHC: immunohistochemistry
TBI: traumatic brain injury