Brain Recovery after a Plane Crash: Treatment with Growth Hormone (GH) and Neurorehabilitation: A Case Report

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences Vol. 16; no. 12; pp. 30470 - 30482
• Main Authors: Devesa, Jesús, Díaz-Getino, Gustavo, Rey, Pablo, García-Cancela, José, Loures, Iria, Nogueiras, Sonia, Hurtado de Mendoza, Alba, Salgado, Lucía, González, Mónica, Pablos, Tamara, Devesa, Pablo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 21.12.2015; MDPI
• Subjects: Accidents, Aviation; Adolescent; adult neurogenesis; Brain Injuries - drug therapy; Brain Injuries - etiology; Brain Injuries - rehabilitation; brain plasticity; Brain research; Case Report; Cognitive ability; cognitive functions; Growth Hormone - administration & dosage; Growth Hormone - therapeutic use; Growth hormones; Humans; Kinesiology, Applied; Male; Neurogenesis; neurorehabilitation; Rehabilitation; spastic tetraplegia; Traumatic brain injury; GH; adult neurogenesis; spastic tetraplegia; cognitive functions; traumatic brain injury; brain plasticity; neurorehabilitation
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms161226244

The aim of this study is to describe the results obtained after growth hormone (GH) treatment and neurorehabilitation in a young man that suffered a very grave traumatic brain injury (TBI) after a plane crash. Fifteen months after the accident, the patient was treated with GH, 1 mg/day, at three-month intervals, followed by one-month resting, together with daily neurorehabilitation. Blood analysis at admission showed that no pituitary deficits existed. At admission, the patient presented: spastic tetraplegia, dysarthria, dysphagia, very severe cognitive deficits and joint deformities. Computerized tomography scanners (CT-Scans) revealed the practical loss of the right brain hemisphere and important injuries in the left one. Clinical and blood analysis assessments were performed every three months for three years. Feet surgery was needed because of irreducible equinovarus. Clinical and kinesitherapy assessments revealed a prompt improvement in cognitive functions, dysarthria and dysphagia disappeared and three years later the patient was able to live a practically normal life, walking alone and coming back to his studies. No adverse effects were observed during and after GH administration. These results, together with previous results from our group, indicate that GH treatment is safe and effective for helping neurorehabilitation in TBI patients, once the acute phase is resolved, regardless of whether or not they have GH-deficiency (GHD).