Impact of 5-lipoxygenase inhibitors on the spatiotemporal distribution of inflammatory cells and neuronal COX-2 expression following experimental traumatic brain injury in rats

► Invasion of granulocytes and macrophages depends on time and region after trauma. ► Neuronal COX-2 expression increases only in the CA3 region until 72 h after trauma. ► Leukotriene inhibitors reduce granulocytes and macrophages dependent on time/region. ► Leukotriene inhibitors affect neuronal COX-2 exclusively in the dentate gyrus.