For weeks and possibly months after a spinal cord injury the cellular casualty count rises. The body's immune response and toxic chemicals released by dying cells attack cells that survived the initial injury. Other cells just seem to know that something in their neighborhood is terribly wrong, and they self-destruct, a process called apoptosis. This mayhem amplifies the lesion and the loss of function. If this biological ripple effect could be prevented the injury might wreak less havoc.
The effect of potential drugs which may inhibit nerve cell injury and death. Usually refers to protection against nerve cell death as a result of glutamate-induced overexcitation (see glutamate). More generally, refers to protection against nerve cell death associated with acute or chronic neurological conditions.
The inhibition of retinal ganglion cell death, based on strengthening the nerve cells against toxic injury.
a pharmacological and/or nutritional approach to protecting neurons from damage as a result of drug use, disease and aging.
Interventions are being explored that when used either during labor and delivery or in the immediate neonatal period might protect the threatened infant's brain from the stress of the perinatal period. Similar interventions are being applied for acute stroke, acute head injury and epilepsy.
The term neuroprotection means mechanisms within the nervous system which protect neurons from apoptosis or degeneration, for example following a brain injury or as a result of chronic neurodegenerative diseases. The word derives from the words "neuron" (Greek for nerve cell) and "protection" (Latin for "saving").