Finally, hope to repair the brains of coma patients: a new study was conducted in Toulouse

The brain is a fascinating organ whose mysteries are still unsolved. For the medical world, the challenge is great, as evidenced by intensive care doctors who treat patients in a coma, a complete alteration of consciousness. “Coma is a source of frustration for us. Our role is to maintain vital functions and support while waiting for spontaneous neurological recovery. But we have no way to change the course of things, it is very passive as management”, sums up Dr. Benjamin Sarton, anesthetist-resuscitator at the University Hospital Center (CHU) of Toulouse. Also a researcher in the ToNIC Unit (1), he is the first author of a new study published in the scientific journal Brain.

For the first time, thanks to the work of the Toulouse teams, the levels of inflammation in the brains of 17 comatose patients were observed while they were followed in the intensive care and intensive care units of Toulouse University Hospital. Two different profiles were studied: patients in coma after head trauma and patients in coma after cardiac arrest (we talk about anoxia: the brain no longer receives oxygen and its activity stops). Images taken by PET scans were compared with those of healthy individuals.

Areas of inflammation are identified

A few observations can be established. “We noticed that there are areas in the network of consciousness that are affected by inflammation. And, the higher the inflammation, the less response we have. This opens up real hope in terms of treatment, because we have numerous drugs that treat inflammation. Targeting it is. will make it possible to avoid new attacks, give yourself time and move away from a wait-and-see attitude”, explains Professor Stein Silva, a resuscitation doctor at Toulouse University Hospital and a researcher in the laboratory. Tonic.

Another lesson: depending on the origin of the coma (shock or anoxia), the areas of inflammation are different. “Patients in a coma look very similar, they sleep, can’t wake up, and can’t communicate with the outside world. But imaging shows that in the brain, depending on the origin of their coma, they’re not affected the same way.” The work is crucial to establish a strong knowledge base to better identify, predict their chances of recovery and personalize their care with treatment”, adds Dr Benjamin Sarton.

Validate new methods

The researchers also hope that studying the PET scan images will validate new methods that provide information on the level of brain inflammation in each coma patient. Blood test rather than transfer from the entire resuscitation chamber to the device.

“The stakes are high. Coma represents a major public health problem, it causes countless deaths and disabling conditions. Medically speaking, we see it as a disaster that happens and then we wait, it puts families in a lot of trouble. puts” concludes Professor Steen Silva. .