Biomechanics of a sheep model of axonal injury

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Anderson, R. W. G.¹; Brown, C. J.²; Scott, G.³; Blumbergs, P. C.³; Finnie, J. W.³; McLean, A. J.¹; Jones, N. R.²

Biomechanics of a sheep model of axonal injury

Proceedings of the 1997 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact

Affiliations

¹NHMRC Road Accident Research Unit, University of Adelaide, Australia

²Dept. Surgery (Neurosurgery), University of Adelaide

³Div. of Tissue Pathology, Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science, Adelaide
Abstract

The aim of this project was to investigate the feasibility of using an animal model of axonal injury to study the biomechanics of the injury. The model utilises anaesthetised sheep that are mechanically ventilated and stabilised before being subjected to a single lateral impact from a captive bolt gun. The impact force was measured using a load cell mounted in the striker, and the resulting head acceleration was measured by means of a g-accelerometer array which was rigidly mounted to the head of the sheep. Head kinematics were transformed to anatomical coordinates using stereo-radiography. High speed tine film (1000 fps) was used for the visualisation of gross head motion. After impact, each animal was allowed to survive for a predetermined period during which anaesthesia was maintained. A complement of physiological monitors was used to measure the physiological state of the animal at all times during the experiment. In one experiment, hypoxia was induced after the physical insult. After the survival period, the animal was sacrificed and the brain removed for histological processing. The brain was sectioned, processed and examined for axonal injury using the presence of amyloid precursor protein (APP) as an indicator of injury. The distribution of axonal injury in, serial sections of the brain was mapped and quantified. Five experiments, displaying a range of injury responses, are reported on in this paper. In the future, the model will be used to study the biomechanics of axonal injury.

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Cited By (4)

Year	Entry
1999	Anderson RWG, Brown CJ, Blumbergs PC, Scott G, Finney JW, Jones NR, McLean AJ. Mechanisms of axonal injury: an experimental and numerical study of a sheep model of head impact. In: Proceedings of the 1999 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. September 23-24, 1999; Sitges, Spain.107-120.
2011	Li Y, Zhang L, Kallakuri S, Zhou R, Cavanaugh JM. Injury predictors for traumatic axonal injury in a rodent head impact acceleration model. Stapp Car Crash J. 2011;55:25-47.
2001	Gutierrez E, Huang Y, Haglid K, Bao F, Hansson H-A, Hamberger A, Viano D. A new model for diffuse brain injury by rotational acceleration, I: model, gross appearance, and astrocytosis. J Neurotrauma. March 2001;18(3):247-257.
2015	Li Y. An Investigation of the Relationship Between Axonal Injury, Biomarker Expression and Mechanical Response in a Rodent Head Impact Acceleration Model [PhD thesis]. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University; 2015.