Could red wine help lessen the short- and long-term effects of concussions?
Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center think resveratrol, a component in red wine and grapes, may help, and hope to test their theory on professional boxers.
“We know from animal studies that if we give the drug immediately after or soon after a brain injury, it can dramatically and significantly reduce the damage you see long-term,” researcher Dr. Joshua Gatson said. “There haven’t been any completed human studies yet, so this is really the first look at resveratrol’s effect on traumatic brain injury.”
Researchers plan to recruit about two dozen pro boxers to take resveratrol, a neuroprotective compound, after a fight to see whether it reduces damage to the brain.
Resveratrol is found in red wine, although to get the required dose for its neuroprotective benefits, one would have to drink 50 glasses, Gatson said.
In the study, researchers plan to administer the required oral dose of resveratrol once a day for seven days. The boxers will then take a supplement form of the compound within two hours of a match.
With neurocognitive tests and MRI protocols, researchers will track subtle brain activity, inflammation and restoration of brain cells and connections.
“The main goal of our research is to protect the brain after each episode so that we can decrease the cumulative effect of those sports concussions,” Gaston said.
Article source: http://www.torontosun.com/2011/05/26/can-red-wine-help-with-concussions
