Schizophrenia drug can help those with brain injuries, says study

A DRUG commonly used to treat schizophrenia could also help millions of people worldwide with brain and spinal-cord injuries, scientists have said.

Researchers have found antipsychotic medicine trifluoperazine (TFP) can “dramatically reduce” swelling caused by excess accumulation of fluid resulting from traumatic injuries to the central nervous system.

Tests on mice have shown TFP can alter the mechanism of tiny “pores” in cells known as aquaporins, which facilitates transport of water between cells.

The drug works by making aquaporins less permeable to water, reducing the harmful effects of swelling. Injured rodents given a single dose of the drug were found to recover within two weeks, compared to untreated animals that continued to show motor and sensory impairment six weeks after injury.

The findings, published in the journal Cell, raise hopes for patients with central nervous system injuries where treatment options are limited.

Professor Roslyn Bill, of the Biosciences Research Group at Aston University in Birmingham, said: “Every year, millions of people of all ages suffer brain and spinal injuries, whether from falls, accidents, road-traffic collisions, sports injuries or stroke.

“To date, their treatment options have been very limited and, in many cases, very risky.

“This discovery, based on a new understanding of how our cells work at the molecular level, gives injury victims and their doctors hope.

“By using a drug already licensed for human use, we have shown how it is possible to stop the swelling and pressure buildup in the central nervous system that is responsible for long-term harm.”

Around 60m people worldwide sustain a traumatic brain or spinal-cord injury each year and 15m people suffer a stroke, according to experts.