A preclinical model of heterogeneous traumatic brain injury

Abstract

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability, but the factors affecting clinical outcomes following TBI are complex. Animal TBI models are widely used, but many design parameters go largely unreported. We evaluate the effects of one such parameter, head support foam type, on injury outcome in rats. We hypothesize that TBI severity is increased on stiffer foams. TBI was delivered to the closed head using a controlled cortical impact (CCI) device. We analyzed injury biomechanics on four foams using an accelerometer and high-speed video, and performed histopathology to evaluate tissue response. Our results show that foam type can significantly affect impact biomechanics, as well as cellular outcomes, and that more thorough reporting is important.