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Omental Transposition to the Brain for Alzheimer's Disease
Author(s) -
GOLDSMITH HARRY S.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1997.tb48483.x
Subject(s) - medicine , transposition (logic) , dementia , cerebral infarction , greater omentum , ligation , cerebral blood flow , epilepsy , disease , neuroscience , pathology , ischemia , anatomy , biology , psychiatry , philosophy , linguistics
Omental transposition (OT) to revascularize the brain was first performed in animals in the late 1960s, where it was shown that blood vessels originating from the omentum crossed through the omental‐cerebral interface prior to developing into large‐sized vessels that penetrated directly and deeply into the underlying brain. The additional cerebral blood flow coming from the omentum was of sufficient volume to protect an animal's brain from cerebral infarction even in the presence of middle cerebral artery ligation. It was also learned that the omentum was a rich source for neurotransmitters and omentum‐derived nerve growth substance. OT to the brain is now being done for a variety of conditions which include strokes, TIAs, epilepsy, and Parkinson's disease. Of recent interest is the published information that OT may play some role in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The placement of the omentum on an AD brain has led to a profound decrease in senile plaque formation. The omentum may ultimately prove to be beneficial in reversing or at least stabilizing the dementia associated with the devastation of AD.