Review : Progesterone and Recovery after Traumatic Brain Injury: An Overview

Abstract
After traumatic brain injury (TBI), female animals often show better cognitive and behavioral recovery than male animals. In female animals, this advantage is conferred by higher levels of systemic progesterone at the time of injury. In rats, postmortem examination of brain tissue reveals that pseudo-pregnant female rats (high progesterone, low estrogen) have virtually no cerebral edema compared with male rats and low- progesterone-state normal cycling female rats after TBI. Progesterone injections can also eliminate cerebral edema in brain-injured male rats. Sex differences in the outcome of TBI highlight the importance of consid ering the timing of therapy and hormonal fluctuations in developing safe and effective treatments for CNS injury. NEUROSCIENTIST 4:435-442, 1998