Journal of neurotrauma
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Journal of neurotrauma · Nov 2011
Comparative StudyStrain-based regional traumatic brain injury intensity in controlled cortical impact: a systematic numerical analysis.
Regional strain-based brain injury intensity during controlled cortical impact (CCI) was studied using a three-dimensional numerical rat brain model. A full factorial design of CCI computer experiments was performed using two typical impactor shapes (flat or hemispherical) at a fixed impact velocity of 4?m/s with various impact depths (1, 1.5, 1.6, 2, 2.5, 2.7, and 3?mm) and various impactor diameters (4, 5, 6, 8, and 9.5?mm). In total, 70 CCI cases were simulated numerically. ⋯ For the flat impactor group, the 5?mm diameter impactor induced more tissue strain in the corpus callosum/hippocampus, and a smaller impactor induced more strain in the thalamus. For the hemispherical impactor group, a larger impactor tended to induce more tissue strain in subcortical regions, with the exception of the 6?mm diameter impactor. This study systematically predicts regional intensity of primary brain injury according to tissue strain distributions in the hope that strain distribution maps may become a common platform to compare CCI severities with different configurations.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Nov 2011
Case Reports Comparative StudyComparison of acute and chronic traumatic brain injury using semi-automatic multimodal segmentation of MR volumes.
Although neuroimaging is essential for prompt and proper management of traumatic brain injury (TBI), there is a regrettable and acute lack of robust methods for the visualization and assessment of TBI pathophysiology, especially for of the purpose of improving clinical outcome metrics. Until now, the application of automatic segmentation algorithms to TBI in a clinical setting has remained an elusive goal because existing methods have, for the most part, been insufficiently robust to faithfully capture TBI-related changes in brain anatomy. This article introduces and illustrates the combined use of multimodal TBI segmentation and time point comparison using 3D Slicer, a widely-used software environment whose TBI data processing solutions are openly available. ⋯ The proposed tools allow cross-correlation of multimodal metrics from structural imaging (e.g., structural volume, atrophy measurements) with clinical outcome variables and other potential factors predictive of recovery. In addition, the workflows described are suitable for TBI clinical practice and patient monitoring, particularly for assessing damage extent and for the measurement of neuroanatomical change over time. With knowledge of general location, extent, and degree of change, such metrics can be associated with clinical measures and subsequently used to suggest viable treatment options.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Nov 2011
Blast-induced color change in photonic crystals corresponds with brain pathology.
A high incidence of blast exposure is a 21st century reality in counter-insurgency warfare. However, thresholds for closed-head blast-induced traumatic brain injury (bTBI) remain unknown. Moreover, without objective information about relative blast exposure, warfighters with bTBI may not receive appropriate medical care and may remain in harm's way. ⋯ With prototype BID arrays affixed to the animals, we found that BID color changes corresponded with subtle brain pathologies, including neuronal degeneration and reactive astrocytosis. These subtle changes were most notable in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, cerebral cortex, and cerebellum. These data demonstrate the feasibility of using a materials-based, power-free colorimetric BID as the first self-contained blast sensor calibrated to correspond with brain pathology.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Nov 2011
ReviewToward a convergence of regenerative medicine, rehabilitation, and neuroprosthetics.
No effective therapeutic interventions exist for severe neural pathologies, despite significant advances in regenerative medicine, rehabilitation, and neuroprosthetics. Our current hypothesis is that a specific combination of tissue engineering, pharmacology, cell replacement, drug delivery, and electrical stimulation, together with plasticity-promoting and locomotor training (neurorehabilitation) is necessary to interact synergistically in order to activate and enable all damaged circuits. ⋯ Therefore, the objective of this review is to highlight the convergent themes, which we believe have a common goal of restoring function after neural damage. The convergent themes discussed in this review include modulation of inflammation and secondary damage, encouraging endogenous repair/regeneration (using scaffolds, cell transplantation, and drug delivery), application of electrical fields to modulate healing and/or activity, and finally modulation of plasticity.
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Several key biological mechanisms of traumatic injury to axons have been elucidated using in vitro stretch injury models. These models, however, are based on the experimentation of single cultures keeping productivity slow. Indeed, low yield has hindered important and well-founded investigations requiring high throughput methods such as proteomic analyses. ⋯ Data also confirmed that the pressure pulse was distributed evenly throughout the pressure chambers and therefore to each injury well. Importantly, the relationship between substrate deformation and applied pressure was consistent among the multiple wells and displayed a predictable linear behavior in each module. These data confirm that this multi-well system performs as well as currently used stretch injury devices and can undertake high throughput studies that are needed across the field of neurotrauma research.