Metabolomic Profiling of Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a significant cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide, particularly in young people. TBI is a complex metabolic process associated with an energy crisis resulting from multiple mechanisms, including ischemia, diffusion hypoxia, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Because metabolic derangement is a fundamental component of TBI pathophysiology, these metabolic changes may provide prognostic information and guide treatment. Additionally, the release of brain-specific metabolites (i.e., small molecules with a molecular mass below 500 Da) into the systemic circulation may provide insights into blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction, a fundamental process in TBI. Metabolomic profiling studies are introductory and valuable for elucidating this metabolic process.