I have always thought of progesterone as a female hormone. It is used in oral contraceptives to control ovulation. I also knew that progesterone levels skyrocket in women during their pregnancy. There's a reason for this. The increased levels take place during the period when the brain is rapidly developing in the fetus. Progesterone appears to protect and enhance this development.
Progesterone is actually a neurosteroid. It is the only hormone that is created in the brain itself. It is present in both the male and female brains in equal amounts. It is key to the production of nerve cells and synapses in the brain and enhances the flow of blood to brain tissue.
The main killer of people between 20 and 45 is traumatic brain injury - TBI. It happens in automobile accidents, athletic events and assaults. Research at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta has demonstrated that the use of progesterone in the form of an experimental drug "Protect III" can be tremendously effective in treating brain trauma. Doctors can actually see blood return to parts of the brain which showed up as dead in imaging. Stroke damage is being mitigated. Any amount of the brain that can be saved can make an incredible difference in the capacities, capabilities and emotional lives of TBI victims.
In the war in Afghanistan the most lethal weapons of the insurgents are IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) and RPGs (Rocket Propelled Grenades). Death is usually the result of either massive blood loss through amputations or traumatic brain injury. The miracle of progesterone appears to be giving those who suffer TBI a chance they have never had before. Having become aware of the testing at Grady, the military is now funding more research at SAMMC.
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I have great admiration for those who have taught me and continue to (try to) teach me. Appropriate comments could be, "Duh!", "Wow!", "Do you really believe this?" and/or "This is very cool!"
Thanks for sharing!