DHA Attenuates Cerebral Edema Following Traumatic Brain Injury via the Reduction in Blood–Brain Barrier Permeability

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) could result in edema and cause an increase in intracranial pressure of the brain resulting in mortality and morbidity. Although there is hyperosmolarity therapy available for this pathophysiological event, it remains controversial. Recently, several groups have shown docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to improve functional and histological outcomes following brain injury based on reduction of neuroinflammation and apoptosis. However, the effect of DHA on blood–brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction after brain injury has not been fully studied. Here, a controlled cortical impact rat model was used to test the effect of a single dose of DHA administered 30 min post injury. Modified neurological severity score (mNSS) and forelimb asymmetry were used to determine the functional outcomes. Neuroimaging and histology were used to characterize the edema and BBB dysfunction. The study showed that DHA-treated TBI rats had better mNSS and forelimb asymmetry score than vehicle-treated TBI rats. Temporal analysis of edema using MRI revealed a significant reduction in edema level with DHA treatment compared to vehicle in TBI rats. Histological analysis using immunoglobulin G (IgG) extravasation showed that there was less extravasation, which corresponded with a reduction in aquaporin 4 and astrocytic metalloprotease 9 expression, and greater endothelial occludin expression in the peri-contusional site of the TBI rat brain treated with DHA in comparison to vehicle treatment. In conclusion, the study shows that DHA can exert its functional improvement by prevention of the edema formation via prevention of BBB dysfunction after TBI.