Pathophysiological Findings of Selective Vulnerability in the Hippocampus After Traumatic Brain Injury

Posttraumatic amnesia is a common symptom after traumatic brain injury (TBI), and it may be related to hippocampal dysfunction. However, the mechanisms underlying the secondary or delayed cell death in the hippocampus after TBI have been poorly understood. In this article, we review the clinical and experimental evidence of hippocampal damage after TBI. Recent data suggesting that TBI may be both an inflammatory and/or a neurodegenerative disease are also presented. Further investigations are, therefore, necessary to better understand hippocampal damage and delineate the best practice strategies needed to improve the patient outcomes after TBI.