Repetitive, but Not Single, Mild Blast TBI Causes Persistent Neurological Impairments and Selective Cortical Neuronal Loss in Rats.

ABSTRACT: Exposure to repeated mild blast traumatic brain injury (mbTBI) is common in combat soldiers and the training of Special Forces. Evidence suggests that repeated exposure to a mild or subthreshold blast can cause serious and long-lasting impairments, but the mechanisms causing these symptoms are unclear. In this study, we characterise the effects of single and tightly coupled repeated mbTBI in Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to shockwaves generated using a shock tube. The primary outcomes are functional neurologic function (unconsciousness, neuroscore, weight loss, and RotaRod performance) and neuronal density in brain regions associated with sensorimotor function. Exposure to a single shockwave does not result in functional impairments or histologic injury, which is consistent with a mild or su

SUBMITTER: Campos-Pires R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10526452 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature