Aeromedical evacuation-relevant hypobaria following traumatic brain injury in rats contributes to cerebral blood flow depression, altered neurochemistry and increased neuroinflammation.

ABSTRACT: Aircraft cabins are routinely pressurized to the equivalent of 8000 ft altitude. Exposure of lab animals to aeromedical evacuation relevant hypobaria after traumatic brain injury worsens neurological outcomes, which is paradoxically exacerbated by hyperoxia. This study tested the hypothesis that exposure of rats to hypobaria following cortical impact reduces cerebral blood flow, increases neuroinflammation, and alters brain neurochemistry. Rats were exposed to simulated ground (normobaric) or air (hypobaric 8000 ft) transport, under normoxia or hyperoxia, 24 hr after trauma. Hypobaria exposure resulted in lower cerebral blood flow to the contralateral cortex and bilateral thalamus during flight and increased delayed cortical inflammation (ED1 immunoreactivity) at 14 days post injury. Impac

SUBMITTER: Proctor JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11656461 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature