The research team found, through analysis of the hippocampus (the area of the brain responsible for memory and emotions), that the left and right sides of the brain develop significantly different levels of inflammation and cellular stress after trauma, according to a statement from UC sent to the Lusa news agency.

Within the scope of the "therapY: the neuropeptide Y system as a new therapeutic target against traumatic brain injury" project, the researchers assessed "the effectiveness of using a substance naturally present in the human body (the neuropeptide Y molecule) to halt brain damage".

"The recently published results show that an initially unilateral brain injury triggers distinct responses in both hemispheres of the brain, reinforcing the complexity of the secondary mechanisms associated with traumatic brain injury," highlighted the project leader, Ricardo Leitão.

Based on this discovery, the research team is delving into the potential of the neuropeptide Y molecule as a therapeutic target in traumatic brain injury, which results from severe head injuries caused, for example, by car accidents or falls, with the aim of testing new therapeutic approaches for this health problem.

According to Ricardo Leitão, the first study of the project constitutes initial preclinical evidence of the potential of this approach, demonstrating that the early administration of neuropeptide Y after a traumatic brain injury attenuates alterations in the blood-brain barrier, reduces neuroinflammatory responses, and improves behavioural parameters associated with memory and anxiety.

The coordinator of the "therapY" project considered that the initial results "support the scientific rationale of the project and reinforce the relevance of continuing to investigate the mechanisms responsible for the protective effects of neuropeptide Y, as well as ways to enhance its therapeutic application and its future translation to the clinical context."

Neuropeptide Y was administered intranasally to an animal model of traumatic brain injury in the early stages after trauma, and the researchers observed molecular, cellular, and behavioural changes, noting that the molecule reduced changes associated with inflammation and blood-brain barrier dysfunction.

In addition to studying the mechanisms behind neuropeptide Y's protective effects, the researchers also intend to develop innovative approaches to improve the delivery of potential therapies to the brain and to study biomarkers and biological changes in patients with traumatic brain injury.

The UC project brings together a multidisciplinary team with expertise in neuroscience, clinical research, chemical engineering, and molecular biomedicine, involving researchers from the Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research, the Faculty of Medicine, the Department of Chemical Engineering at the Faculty of Sciences and Technology, the Centre for Chemical Engineering and Renewable Resources for Sustainability, and the Coimbra Local Health Unit.