Journal of neurotrauma
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Journal of neurotrauma · Apr 2024
Higher regional grey matter volume and white matter integrity in individuals with central neuropathic pain following spinal cord injury.
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a debilitating neurological condition that often leads to central neuropathic pain (CNP). As the fundamental mechanism of CNP is not fully established, its management is one of the most challenging problems among people with SCI. To shed more light on CNP mechanisms, the aim of this cross-sectional study was to compare the brain structure between individuals with SCI and CNP and those without CNP by examining the gray matter (GM) volume and the white matter (WM) integrity. ⋯ We found significantly higher GM volume in individuals with CNP compared with pain-free individuals in the right superior (p < 0.0014) and middle temporal gyri (p < 0.0001). Moreover, individuals with CNP exhibited higher WM integrity in the splenium of the corpus callosum (p < 0.0001) and in the posterior cingulum (p < 0.0001), compared with pain-free individuals. The results suggest that the existence of CNP following SCI is associated with GM and WM structural abnormalities in regions involved in pain intensification and spread, and which may reflect maladaptive neural plasticity in CNP.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Apr 2024
Neurological effects of repeated blast exposure in Special Operations personnel.
Exposure to blast overpressure has been a pervasive feature of combat-related injuries. Studies exploring the neurological correlates of repeated low-level blast exposure in career "breachers" demonstrated higher levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and interleukin (IL)-6 and decreases in IL-10 within brain-derived extracellular vesicles (BDEVs). The current pilot study was initiated in partnership with the U. ⋯ Post hoc assessments of cognitive measures failed to demonstrate significant associations with GBEV. This emerging evidence suggests neuroinflammation may be a key feature of the brain response to blast exposure over a career in operational personnel. The common thread of neuroinflammation observed in blast-exposed populations requires further study.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Apr 2024
Longitudinal Associations Between Persistent Post-Concussion Symptoms and Blood Biomarkers of Inflammation and CNS-Injury Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.
The aim of our study was to investigate the biological underpinnings of persistent post-concussion symptoms (PPCS) at 3 months following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Patients (n = 192, age 16-60 years) with mTBI, defined as Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score between 13 and 15, loss of consciousness (LOC) <30 min, and post-traumatic amnesia (PTA) <24 h were included. Blood samples were collected at admission (within 72 h), 2 weeks, and 3 months. ⋯ We demonstrate a role of biological factors on PPCS, including both positive and negative effects of inflammation biomarkers that differed based on sampling time-point after mTBI. PPCS was associated more with acute inflammatory processes, rather than ongoing inflammation or CNS-injury biomarkers. However, the modest discriminative ability of the models suggests other factors are more important in the development of PPCS.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Apr 2024
Dynamic dysregulation of the triple network of the brain in mild traumatic brain injury and its relationship with cognitive performance.
A triple network model consisting of a default network, a salience network, and a central executive network has recently been used to understand connectivity patterns in cognitively normal versus dysfunctional brains. This study aimed to explore changes in the dynamic connectivity of triplet network in mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and its relationship to cognitive performance. In this work, we acquired resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from 30 mTBI patients and 30 healthy controls (HCs). ⋯ Mild TBI patients had fewer metastases in different states than HC patients. In addition, the mean residence time in state 1 correlated with Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores in mTBI patients; the number of transitions between states correlated with Glasgow Coma Score in mTBI patients. Taken together, our findings suggest that the dynamic properties of FC in the triple network of mTBI patients are abnormal, and provide a new perspective on the pathophysiological mechanism of cognitive impairment from the perspective of dynamic FC.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Apr 2024
Spatial Hotspots and Sociodemographic Profiles Associated with Traumatic Brain Injury in Nova Scotia.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability, primarily caused by falls and motor vehicle collisions (MVCs). Although many TBIs are preventable, there is a notable lack of studies exploring the association of geographically defined TBI hotspots with social deprivation. Geographic information systems (GIS) can be used to identify at-risk neighborhoods (hotspots) for targeted interventions. ⋯ First, it demonstrates the distribution of TBI hotspots by major injury causes using the smallest available geographical unit. Second, we disentangle the various pathways through which deprivation impacts the risk of main mechanisms of TBI. These findings provide valuable insights for public health officials to design targeted injury prevention strategies in high-risk areas.