Ultrastructural and functional characteristics of blast injury-induced neurotrauma

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Cernak, Ibolja¹; Wang, Zhengguo²; Jiang, Jianxin²; Bian, Xiuwu²; Savic, Jovan¹

Ultrastructural and functional characteristics of blast injury-induced neurotrauma

J Trauma. April 2001;50(4):695-706

©2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.

Affiliations

¹Military Medical Academy, Crnotravska, Belgrade, Yugoslavia

²3rd Military Medical University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
Abstract

Objective: The present study investigates whether whole-body or local (chest) exposure to blast overpressure can induce ultrastructural, biochemical, and cognitive impairments in the brain.

Methods: Male Wistar rats were trained for an active avoidance task for 6 days. On day 6, rats that had acquired the avoidance response were subjected to whole-body blast injury (WBBI), generated by large-scale shock tube (n = 40); or local (chest) blast injury (LBI), induced by blast overpressure focused on the right middle thoracic region and generated by small-scale shock tube (n = 40) while the heads of animals were protected. At the completion of cognitive testing, rats were killed at 3 hours, 24 hours, and 5 days after injury. Ultrastructural changes in the hippocampus were analyzed electron microscopically. Parameters of oxidative stress (malondialdehyde and superoxide anion generation) and antioxidant enzyme defense (superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activity) were measured in the hippocampus to assess biochemical changes in the brain after blast.

Results: Ultrastructural findings in animals subjected to WBBI or LBI demonstrated swellings of neurons, glial reaction, and myelin debris in the hippocampus. All rats revealed significant deficits in performance of the active avoidance task 3 hours after injury, but deficits persisted up to day 5 after injury only in rats subjected to WBBI. Oxidative stress development and altered antioxidant enzyme defense was observed in animals in both groups. Cognitive impairment and biochemical changes in the hippocampus were significantly correlated with blast injury severity in both WBBI and LBI groups.

Conclusion: These results confirm that exposure to blast overpressure induces ultrastructural and biochemical impairments in the brain hippocampus, with associated development of cognitive deficits.
Links

DOI: 10.1097/00005373-200104000-00017

PubMed: 11303167

WoS: 000168243200026
History

Received: 2000-05-09

Accepted: 2000-12-09
Cited Works (1)

Year Entry

1983 Povlishock JT, Becker DP, Cheng CLY, Vaughan GW. Axonal change in minor head injury. J Neuropathol & Exp Neurol. 1983;42(3):225-242.

Cited By (27)

Year	Entry
2012	Wood GW, Panzer MB, Yu AW, Rafaels KA, Matthews KA, Bass CR. Scaling in blast neurotrauma. In: Proceedings of the 40th International Workshop on Human Subjects for Biomechanical Research. 2012.
2013	Wood GW, Panzer MB, Yu AW, Rafaels KA, Matthews KA, Bass CR. Scaling in blast neurotrauma. In: Proceedings of the 2013 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Injury. September 11-13, 2013; Gothenburg, Sweden.549-558.
2013	Assari S, Laksari K, Barbe M, Darvish K. Cerebral blood pressure rise during blast exposure in a rat model of blast-induced traumatic brain injury. In: Proceedings of the 9th Ohio State University Injury Biomechanics Symposium. May 19-21, 2013; Columbus, OH.
2018	Yu X, Sharp DJ, Ghajari M. Effects of CSF cut-off pressure and skull flexure on blast induced traumatic brain injury. In: Proceedings of the 14th Ohio State University Injury Biomechanics Symposium. May 20-22, 2018; Columbus, OH.
2009	Zhang J, Pintar FA, Yoganandan N, Gennarelli TA, Son SF. Experimental study of blast-induced traumatic brain injury using a physical head model. Stapp Car Crash J. 2009;53:215-227. SAE 2009-22-0008.
2010	Zhu F, Mao H, Leonardi ADC, Wagner C, Chou C, Jin X, Bir C, VandeVord P, Yang KH, King AI. Development of an FE model of the rat head subjected to air shock loading. Stapp Car Crash J. 2010;54:211-225. SAE 2010-22-0011.
2012	Bass CR, Panzer MB, Rafaels KA, Wood G, Shridharani J, Capehart B. Brain injuries from blast. Ann Biomed Eng. January 2012;40(1):185-202.
2008	Säljö A, Arrhén F, Bolouri H, Mayorga M, Hamberger A. Neuropathology and pressure in the pig brain resulting from low-impulse noise exposure. J Neurotrauma. December 2008;25(12):1397-1406.
2009	Bauman RA, Ling G, Tong L, Januszkiewicz A, Agoston D, Delanerolle N, Kim Y, Ritzel D, Bell R, Ecklund J, Armonda R, Bandak F, Parks S. An introductory characterization of a combat-casualty-care relevant swine model of closed head injury resulting from exposure to explosive blast. J Neurotrauma. June 2009;26(6):841-860.
2012	Rafaels KA, Bass CRD, Panzer MB, Salzar RS, Woods WA, Feldman SH, Walilko T, Kent RW, Capehart BP, Foster JB, Derkunt B, Toman A. Brain injury risk from primary blast. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. October 2012;73(4):895-901.
2009	Moss WC, King MJ, Blackman EG. Skull flexure from blast waves: a mechanism for brain injury with implications for helmet design. Phys Rev Lett. September 4, 2009;103(10):108702.
2016	Effgen GB. Improving Outcomes After Repetitive Mild Traumatic Brain Injury from Shock Wave Exposure or Stretch Injury [PhD thesis]. Columbia University; 2016.
2017	Vogel EW III. Pathobiological Mechanisms and Treatment of Electrophysiological Dysfunction Following Primary Blast-Induced Traumatic Brain Injury [PhD thesis]. Columbia University; 2017.
2012	Panzer MB. Numerical Simulation of Primary Blast Brain Injury [PhD thesis]. Durham, NC: Duke University; 2012.
2015	Wood GW. Interspecies Scaling in Blast Neurotrauma [PhD thesis]. Duke University; 2015.
2016	Yeoh AS. Cerebrovscular Dysfunction in Primary Blast Traumatic Brain Injury [PhD thesis]. University of Utah; December 2016.
2010	Rafaels KA. Blast Brain Injury Risk [PhD thesis]. Charlottesville, VA: University of Virginia; December 2010.
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2016	Hubbard WB. Investigating Injury Pathology of Blast-Induced Polytrauma and Assessing the Therapeutic Role of Hemostatic Nanoparticles After Blast Exposure [PhD thesis]. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; August 11, 2016.
2017	Bailey ZS. Epigenetic Mechanisms in Blast-Induced Neurotrauma [PhD thesis]. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; July 17, 2017.
2018	Hlavac NM. Attributes of Astrocyte Response to Mechano-Stimulation by High-Rate Overpressure [PhD thesis]. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; October 25, 2018.
2011	Dal Cengio Leonardi A. An Investigation of the Biomechanical Response from Shock Wave Loading to the Head [PhD thesis]. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University; August 2011.
2011	Sharma S. Biomechanical Analysis of Blast Induced Traumatic Brain Injury: A Finite Element Modeling and Validation Study of Blast Effects on Human Brain [Master's thesis]. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University; August 2011.
2012	Bolander R. A Multi-Species Analysis of Biomechanical Responses of the Head to a Shock Wave [PhD thesis]. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University; May 2012.
2012	Makwana R. Development and Validation of a 3D Finite Element Model of Advanced Combat Helmet and Biomechanical Analysis of Human Head and Helmet Response to Primary Blast Insult [Master's thesis]. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University; May 2012.
2015	Purkait HS. Assessment of Temporal and Spatial Alterations in Spinal Glial Reactivity and the Extent of Cervical Spinal Axonal Injury in the Rat After Blast Overpressure Exposure [Master's thesis]. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University; May 2015.
2017	Feng K. An Investigation of the Mechanism of Traumatic Brain Injury Caused by Blast in the Open Field [PhD thesis]. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University; 2017.