Consequences of Exposure to Mission-Related Shock Waves Upon Cognitive Potential

摘要

The importance of prompt identification of mTBI is crucial, the mTBI affected soldier may remain in the arena, and may be assigned duties there, that are beyond his or her reduced capabilities, in particular impairments of judgment and orientation that may result from the sustained brain concussion. One of the most important stages in this model development is to comprehend the underling mechanism (genetic, biochemical, molecular and cellular events), which in the long run will produce the cognitive and behavioral decline. We propose to determine the pathophysiologic (genetic, biochemical, molecular and cellular) mechanisms of blast over- and under-pressure waves and correlative brain injuries in animal models. Using the results from these efforts, investigators will translate and correlate the knowledge gained into a realistic patient care system capable of a standardized injury diagnosis and effective treatment and rehabilitation plan for the blast-injured patient in any stage of injury. We have recently developed a blast injury model for mice that resembles, as much as possible, a realistic combat blast exposure, where the outcome may vary from mild to severe brain injury. Promptly following the blast, all the mice underwent a neurological assessment and some of the mice were sacrificed for a thorough pathological examination. Then, 7 and 30 days post blast, the mices cognitive and behavioral abilities were tested using the staircase maze (restlessness/agitation), object recognition (visual memory) and Y maze (spatial memory). At 7 days post blast long-term cognitive and behavioral deficits and significant decreased performance were found at both 4 and 7 meters distance from the blast (2.5. and 4 PSI, respectively). At 30 days post blast, clear differences were found for both distances groups in the staircase, object recognition test, and in the 7 m group only in the Y maze test.