Combination Treatment of Natural Compounds and Integrative Therapies for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract

Each year millions of Americans seek acute care for mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), which is often associated with a range of debilitating sequelae including cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and motor deficits [1]. New evidence indicates that neuroinflammatory responses, excitotoxicity, and oxidative stress may directly contribute to the emergence and maintenance of these chronic postconcussive symptoms (PCS) [2]. In instances of traumatic axonal injury, accumulations of tau and amyloid peptides can form, which may be an early sign of neurodegeneration linked to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease [3]. Given the multiple mechanisms underlying PCS, it is reasonable to suggest that successfully preventing or attenuating PCS cannot be accomplished via pharmacological agents with a single mode of action. Herein, we propose that a combination of natural compounds and intergrative therapies with systemic effect may provide a comprehensive treatment strategy for addressing the secondary injury following mTBI.