Traumatic brain injuries or TBIs are major causes of disability, hospitalization and death in the United States, Canada and around the world. Getting treatment quickly is vital and can affect health outcomes and recovery. Whether medical problems are short- or long-term, there are numerous treatments available to help with symptoms and the injury to the brain itself. Recently, researchers have performed experiments with animals and found that CBD provides much needed anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects after a head trauma has occurred1.
Traumatic Brain Injury: A Quick Look
Any hard strike, bump or jolt to the head, as well as objects that actually penetrate the skull can result in a mild, moderate or severe traumatic brain injury. For example, a minor head injury, such as a concussion is considered a mild TBI, whereas a bullet that strikes the skull and enters the brain is a very serious TBI. These kinds of head injuries are common and affect hundreds of thousands of people in the U.S. and millions around the world annually. Some people die not only from the serious injury itself, but from the many medical complications that may follow.
Brain Chemistry
If during a head injury, the brain twists or bounces within the skull, brain tissue and blood vessels can become damaged leading to chemical changes that disrupt normal brain function and health2. Depending on the type of injury and its severity, changes can take place in neurons, cells, proteins, and enzymes just to name a few. A damaging tidal wave of biochemicals is released during a TBI resulting in a myriad of health problems.
TBI-Associated Medical Complications
Once a head injury has occurred and depending upon its severity, the brain needs time to heal and return to its normal equilibrium. Because of the displacement of the brain itself within the skull and swelling of brain tissue, several medical problems may arise including:
- Seizures
- Brain bleed
- Permanent brain damage
- Physical disability
- Shorter life expectancy
- Movement disorders
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Chronic traumatic encephalopathy
- Alzheimer’s disease
Symptoms of TBI
While symptoms of TBI vary depending on the severity of the injury, all TBIs have commonly shared symptoms such as physical difficulties, problems with memory and thinking clearly, emotional issues and social problems. Mild symptoms include nausea, dizziness, headache, blurred vision and fatigue. Moderate to severe symptoms range from hearing and vision problems, weakness, poor balance, confusion, depression and coma.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Getting an accurate diagnosis is critical and is associated with appropriate treatment and prognosis. A diagnosis typically begins with a neurological evaluation, imaging tests (MRIs) and blood work. For minor head injuries, rest and over-the-counter pain relievers may be effective. If the injury is moderate or severe, surgery, medications, therapy including physical, occupational and speech, respiratory therapy and mental health counseling may be required to manage symptoms and return to health.
CBD and TBI: Cross-Talking Molecules
Because traumatic brain injury, concussion and other forms of head trauma cause biochemical changes associated with numerous symptoms that follow, researchers using animal models have discovered that the neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory qualities of CBD may be helpful in post-injury treatment. Specifically, CBD interacts within and outside of the endocannabinoid system affecting or cross-talking with various cannabinoid receptors, vanilloid receptor 1, 5-hydroxytryptamine, and adenosine receptors.
Neuroprotective Qualities of CBD
Researchers have also discovered that because head trauma alters many physiological functions in the brain including within the blood-brain barrier, cognitive capacity, brain-derived neurotrophic factors, and physiology of the heart, CBD shows the capacity to influence their physiology by providing neuroprotection and inflammatory properties. CBD has also been shown to regulate cerebral blood flow, protect the brain from reactive oxygen species (free radicals) and neurogenesis or the formation of new neurons in the brain – all of which can assist in treating head injuries including concussion and traumatic brain injury.
Final Thoughts on CBD and Traumatic Brain Injury
Although more double-blind randomized control trials and direct human research are needed to get a better picture of how CBD may help manage symptoms of head injuries, some preclinical research has shown that CBD has both neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties and can be used following a head injury.
References
1. Singh, J. and John Patrick Neary. 2020. Neuroprotection Following Concussion: The Potential Role for Cannabidiol. The Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences. 47: 289-300.
2. Sahu, Seelora et al. 2017. Biochemical changes in the injured brain. World Journal of Biological Chemistry. 8(1): 21-31.