Pharmacological advance in the treatment of acute brain injury

Abstract

In this article a series of questions has been presented as a means of addressing reports on pharmacological advances in the treatment of acute brain injury (table 2). (These questions relate to the interpretation and clinical translation of the experimental findings, and should be distinguished from one's assessment of the report's scientific quality, which is not discussed in this review.) In relation to the development of clinically useful treatments, the aim of future laboratory and clinical experimental studies has been clearly defined by recent experience. Essentially, there is a need to develop surrogate markers of drug brain penetration in man, as well as surrogate evidence of injury and drug protection in man, before advancing to large clinical trials.