Cognitive effects of NSAIDs in cerebral ischemia: A hypothesis exploring mechanical action mediated pharmacotherapy
Medical Hypotheses, 07/20/2012
Clinical Article
Bhattacharya P et al. – The auhtors show how NSAIDs may act as candidate pharmacological molecules which have the ability to inhibit neuroinflammation and which can alter neuronal mechanics by their COX–2 inhibiting property.
- Cerebral ischemia is associated with altered neuronal mechanics leading to dynamic reshaping of neuronal structures, giving rise to a cascade of biological pathways leading to many deleterious consequences and cognitive deficits.
- Memory and learning specifically are mediated by neurotransmitter release from vesicles clustered at the synapse.
- Mechanical tension is an important factor governing the amount of vesicular neurotransmitter release in response to an action potential.
- Neuroinflammation in cerebral ischemia leads to altered mechanical/physical forces on neurons which gives rise to abnormal mechanical tension along the neuron resulting in neurotransmitter imbalance leading to cognitive dysfunction.
- The authors consider the possibility that modulation of mechanical forces on neurons may be a therapeutic strategy to help prevent cognitive deficit in cerebral ischemia.
