Effects of a Surgery-induced Peripheral Inflammatory Response on the Blood Brain Barrier
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2013-02-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
The purpose for this study is to determine if surgery (repair of descending thoracic
aneurysm) causes a temporary decrease in the Blood Brain Barrier's ability to remove drugs
from the brain back into the blood. The Blood Brain Barrier surrounds the brain and the
spinal cord. This Blood Brain Barrier acts as a filter and allows some things to cross into
the brain and allows other matter to be removed. Studies have shown the Blood Brain Barrier
is affected by inflammation.
Functions of the Blood Brain Barrier in animals have been studied. Human studies with
multiple causes of inflammation (e.g. Alzheimer's, Epilepsy, trauma and severe infections in
critically
Hypothesis: Surgically-induced inflammation will temporarily reduce blood-brain barrier drug
efflux transporter function in proportion to the degree of inflammation. The investigators
anticipate that inflammation-mediated reductions in drug transporter function will be
reflected by an increased cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) concentration of morphine (a PGP
substrate) and M3G and M6G (MRP1 substrates). The corresponding in vitro studies will allow
us to elucidate the mechanism(s) by which inflammation alters blood brain barrier efflux
transport of morphine, M3G and M6G.