Preface [Hot Topic: Current Status of Neuroprotection in Traumatic Brain Injury (Executive Editors: Maria Mataro and Juan Sahuquillo)]

Traumatic brain injury triggers a series of secondary or delayed damage known to exacerbate the initial injury and deficits. In recent years many therapeutic strategies have been proposed and studied in traumatic brain injury in order to inhibit these mechanisms and prevent further damage. Although experimental studies have demonstrated a beneficial effect of some of these neuroprotection approaches, no effective or beneficial drug treatment has successfully been introduced into clinical practice. The past decade in brain injury research has brought tremendous advances in our understanding of the physiopathological mechanisms of brain injury. This has resulted in the identification of several novel targets in neuroprotection. The present issue reviews the current status of research in this field. The issue begins with an article by Enriquez and Bullock [1] on the recent advances in the molecular and cellular mechanisms in the pathophysiology of severe head injuries. Ungerstedt and Rostami [2] give an overview of the microdialysis technique used to monitor the neurochemistry in neurointensive care. Some recent targets for neuroprotection are reviewed in the four subsequent comprehensive articles: Venero, Machado and Cano [3] present an overview of brain edema and the importance of aquaporins in its physiopathology; Alves, Daugherty and Rios [4] address arterial hyperoxia in severe head injury; Biegon [5] reviews the neuroprotective role of cannabinoids, and Armstead [6] assesses endothelins and their role in the posttraumatic vasospasm. Finally, Sahuquillo, Mena, Vilalta and Poca [7] discuss the role of moderate hypothermia in the management of severe traumatic brain injury. We would like to thank the journal for the opportunity to contribute with such an issue and the authors for making it possible.