OPEN ACCESS Editor-in-Chief: Surgical Neurology International James I. Ausman, MD, PhD For entire Editorial Board visit : University of California, Los http://www.surgicalneurologyint.com Angeles, CA, USA Review Article Stuck at the bench: Potential natural neuroprotective compounds for concussion Anthony L. Petraglia, Ethan A. Winkler1, Julian E. Bailes2 Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, 1University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, 2Department of Neurosurgery, North Shore University Health System, Evanston, IL, USA E-mail: *Anthony L. Petraglia -
[email protected]; Ethan A. Winkler -
[email protected]; Julian E. Bailes -
[email protected] *Corresponding author Received: 29 August 11 Accepted: 22 September 11 Published: 12 October 11 This article may be cited as: Petraglia AL, Winkler EA, Bailes JE. Stuck at the bench: Potential natural neuroprotective compounds for concussion. Surg Neurol Int 2011;2:146. Available FREE in open access from: http://www.surgicalneurologyint.com/text.asp?2011/2/1/146/85987 Copyright: © 2011 Petraglia AL. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Abstract Background: While numerous laboratory studies have searched for neuroprotective treatment approaches to traumatic brain injury, no therapies have successfully translated from the bench to the bedside. Concussion is a unique form of brain injury, in that the current mainstay of treatment focuses on both physical and cognitive rest. Treatments for concussion are lacking. The concept of neuro-prophylactic compounds or supplements is also an intriguing one, especially as we are learning more about the relationship of numerous sub-concussive blows and/or repetitive concussive impacts and the development of chronic neurodegenerative disease.