Inflammation and immune system activation after traumatic brain injury.

Treatment options for managing traumatic brain injury remain limited. Therapies that limit the development of secondary brain injury--the delayed injury that can occur days to weeks after initial presentation--would have a major impact on outcomes and reduce the medical, social, and economic burden of this devastating disease. A growing body of evidence suggests that inflammation and activation of the immune system is a central driver of secondary brain injury. This article reviews the evidence for inflammation mediating secondary injury after head trauma and outlines potential approaches for immunomodulatory therapies after traumatic brain injury.