ASSOCIATION OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF COENZYME Q10 AND CURCUMIN WITH THE SURGICAL TREATMENT OF BRAIN INJURIES RESULTING FROM EXPERIMENTAL HYDROCEPHALUS

• Grant number: 25/00312-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: July 01, 2025
• End date: June 30, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Luiza da Silva Lopes
• Grantee: Luiza da Silva Lopes
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Carlos Henrique Rocha Catalão ; Marcelo Volpon Santos

Abstract

Hydrocephalus is a neurological condition resulting from an imbalance between the production and absorption of cerebrospinal fluid. The resulting ventricular dilation triggers compression of brain structures, with reduced blood flow and regional ischemia, in addition to an amplified astrocytic response that can compromise tissue repair after treatment. The gold standard of treatment includes surgical techniques for shunting and draining CSF, but several post-surgical complications make patients' prognoses challenging. Recent research reveals promising effects of some substances such as curcumin and coenzyme Q10 on nervous tissue in various diseases, resulting in control of neuroinflammation and progression of neurodegeneration. Our hypothesis is that these substances can also reduce neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration of the brain affected by hydrocephalus. This project aims to evaluate the effects of curcumin and coenzyme Q10 on the modulation of inflammation, oxidation and neurodegeneration in the brains of young hydrocephalic rats, treated or not with CSF shunt. To this end, 72 young Wistar Hannover rats, distributed into 9 experimental groups (n=8) for 21 days, from the induction of hydrocephalus (Control; Hydrocephalus + blank; Hydrocephalus + curcumin; Hydrocephalus + CoQ10; Hydrocephalus + curcumin + CoQ10; Hydrocephalus + surgery + blank; Hydrocephalus + surgery + curcumin; Hydrocephalus + surgery + CoQ10; Hydrocephalus + surgery + curcumin + CoQ10). Hydrocephalus will be induced by the intracisternal kaolin injection method, on the rats' seventh day of life. Seven days later, the diagnosis of hydrocephalus will be confirmed by ultrasound, the rats in the operated groups will be treated by ventriculo-subcutaneous shunt, and the drugs tested will be started on the same day. During the last week of the experiment, the Open Field and Active Avoidance Test will be carried out. After collecting the brains, the following parameters will be analyzed: GFAP, Ki-67, IL-1b, IL-6 and TNFa, GSK-beta, Calpain-1, VILIP-1, Smad-3, Neurogranin and malondialdehyde (MDA). (AU)