Repeated Low-Level Blast Acutely Alters Brain Cytokines, Neurovascular Proteins, Mechanotransduction, and Neurodegenerative Markers in a Rat Model.

ABSTRACT: Exposure to the repeated low-level blast overpressure (BOP) periodically experienced by military personnel in operational and training environments can lead to deficits in behavior and cognition. While these low-intensity blasts do not cause overt changes acutely, repeated exposures may lead to cumulative effects in the brain that include acute inflammation, vascular disruption, and other molecular changes, which may eventually contribute to neurodegenerative processes. To identify these acute changes in the brain following repeated BOP, an advanced blast simulator was used to expose rats to 8.5 or 10 psi BOP once per day for 14 days. At 24 h after the final BOP, brain tissue was collected and analyzed for inflammatory markers, astrogliosis (GFAP), tight junction proteins (claudin-5 and oc

SUBMITTER: Heyburn L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7933446 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature