Heart-brain interaction and research progress following traumatic brain injury

Patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) frequently exhibit cardiac dysfunction. However, clinical practice and research on the connection between the heart and brain following TBI remain limited, hindering optimal diagnosis and treatment. As the two most vital organs, the heart and brain maintain intricate bidirectional communication and regulation through multiple mechanisms-a phenomenon termed heart-brain interaction (HBI). This review synthesizes current knowledge on post-TBI HBI, covering biological mechanisms such as paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity, neuroinflammation, coagulation dysfunction, and cell death pathway activation, as well as non-biological contributors including stress, age, and sex. It also systematically analyzes the correlation between cerebral and cardiac biomarkers involved in heart-brain crosstalk after TBI, and discusses their translational application in multiple cardiocerebral diseases. These findings provide theoretical foundations and potential therapeutic targets for precision medicine in TBI management.