Name: electromagnetic controlled closed-head model of mild traumatic brain injury in mice
Uploaded: 2022-09-28T15:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Electromagnetic Controlled Closed-Head Model of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Mice at JoVE.com

This work was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health under award numbers R01NS120882, RF1NS119165, and R01NS103785 and the Department of Defense award number AZ190017. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health or the Department of Defense.

The experiments performed were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) of the University of Kentucky, and both the ARRIVE and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals guidelines were followed during the study.
1. Surgical setup
NOTE: Mice are housed in groups of 4-5/cage, humidity in the housing room is maintained at 43%-47%, and the temperature is maintained at 22-23 &#730;C. Mice are given ad libitum ...

<ol>
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Several steps are involved in recreating a consistent injury model using the described model. First, it is critical to correctly secure the animal into the stereotaxic frame. The animal's head should not be able to move laterally, and the skull should be completely flat with bregma and lambda reading the same coordinates. Correctly placing the ear bars is the most difficult aspect of this surgery, and this can only be learned with practice. If the skull is not level, the head should be adjusted before inducing CHI. Failu...

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is caused by an external force on the brain, often associated with falls, sports injuries, physical violence, or road accidents. In 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention determined that 2.53 million Americans visited the emergency department to seek medical help for TBI-related accidents1. Since mild TBI (mTBI) represents the majority of TBI cases, over the past several decades, multiple models of mTBI have been adopted, which include weight drop, piston-driven closed head injury and controlled cortical impact, rotational injury, mild fluid percussion injury, and blast injury models2,3. The heterogeneity of the mTBI models is useful to address the different features associated with mTBI seen in people and to help evaluate the cellular and molecular mechanisms associated with brain injury.
Of the commonly used models of closed head injury, one of the first and most widely used models is the weight drop method, where an object is dropped from a specific height onto the animal&#39;s head (anesthetized or awake)2,4. In the weight drop method, the injury&#39;s severity depends on several parameters, including craniotomy performed or not, head fixed or free, and the distance and weight of the falling object2,4. One disadvantage of this model is the high variability in the severity of the injury and the high mortality rate associated with respiratory depression5,6. A common alternative is to deliver the impact using a pneumatic or electromagnetic device, which can be done directly on the exposed dura (controlled cortical impact: CCI) or closed skull (closed head injury: CHI). One of the strengths of the piston-driven injury is its high reproducibility and low mortality. However, CCI requires craniotomy7,8, and a craniotomy itself induces inflammation9. Instead, in the CHI model, there is no need for craniotomy. As already stated, each model has limitations. One of the limitations of the CHI model described in this paper is that the surgery is performed using a stereotaxic frame, and the head of the animal is immobilized. While the full head immobilization assures reproducibility, it does not account for movement after the impact that could contribute to the injury associated with a mTBI.
This protocol describes a basic method to perform a CHI impact with a commercially available electromagnetic impactor device10 in a mouse. This protocol details the exact parameters involved to achieve a highly reproducible injury. In particular, the investigator has precise control over the parameters (depth of injury, dwell time, and velocity of impact) to precisely define the injury severity. As described, this CHI model produces an injury that results in bilateral pathology, both diffuse and microscopic (i.e., chronic activation of glia, axonal and vascular damage), and behavioral phenotypes11,12,13,14,15. In addition, the described model is considered mild as it does not induce structural brain lesions based on MRI or gross lesions on pathology even 1 year after the injury16,17.

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	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>9 mm Autoclip Applier</td>
			<td>Braintree scientific</td>
			<td>ACS- APL</td>
			<td>Surgery</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>9 mm Autoclip Remover</td>
			<td>Braintree scientific</td>
			<td>ACS- RMV</td>
			<td>Surgery</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>9 mm Autoclip, Case of 1,000 clips</td>
			<td>Braintree scientific</td>
			<td>ACS- CS</td>
			<td>Surgery (Staples)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Aperio ImageScope software&#160;</td>
			<td>Leica BioSystems</td>
			<td>NA&#160;</td>
			<td>IHC</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>BladeFLASK Blade Remover</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>22-444-275</td>
			<td>Surgery</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cotton tip applicator</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>89031-270</td>
			<td>Surgery</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Digitial mouse stereotaxic frame</td>
			<td>Stoelting</td>
			<td>51730D</td>
			<td>Surgery</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dumont #7 Forceps</td>
			<td>Roboz</td>
			<td>RS-5047</td>
			<td>Surgery</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Ear bars</td>
			<td>Stoelting</td>
			<td>51649</td>
			<td>Surgery</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>EthoVision XT 11.0&#160;</td>
			<td>Noldus Information Technology</td>
			<td>NA</td>
			<td>RAWM&#160;</td>
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			<td>Fiber-Lite</td>
			<td>Dolan-Jeffer Industries</td>
			<td>UN16103-DG</td>
			<td>Surgery</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fisherbrand Bulb for Small Pipets</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>03-448-21</td>
			<td>Head support apparatus</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Gemini Avoidance System</td>
			<td>San Diego Instruments</td>
			<td>NA</td>
			<td>Active avoidance</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Heating Pad</td>
			<td>Sunbeam&#160;</td>
			<td>732500000U</td>
			<td>Surgery prep</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>HRP conjugated goat anti-rabbit IgG&#160;</td>
			<td>Jackson Immuno Research laboratories</td>
			<td>111-065-144&#160;</td>
			<td>IHC</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Induction chamber</td>
			<td>Kent Scientific</td>
			<td>VetFlo-0530XS</td>
			<td>Surgery prep</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Isoflurane, USP</td>
			<td>Covetrus</td>
			<td>NDC: 11695-6777-2</td>
			<td>Surgery</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Mouse gas anesthesia head holder</td>
			<td>Stoelting</td>
			<td>51609M</td>
			<td>Surgery</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Neuropactor Stereotaxic Impactor</td>
			<td>Neuroscience Tools</td>
			<td>n/a</td>
			<td>Surgery: Formally distributed by Lecia as impact one</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>NexGen Mouse 500</td>
			<td>Allentown&#160;</td>
			<td>n/a</td>
			<td>Post-surgery, holding cage</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Parafilm</td>
			<td>Bemis</td>
			<td>PM992</td>
			<td>Head support apparatus</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Peanut - Professional Hair Clipper</td>
			<td>Whal</td>
			<td>8655-200&#160;</td>
			<td>Surgery prep</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Povidone-Iodine Solution USP, 10% (w/v), 1% (w/v) available Iodine, for laboratory</td>
			<td>Ricca</td>
			<td>3955-16</td>
			<td>Surgery</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Puralube Vet Oinment,petrolatum ophthalmic ointment, Sterile ocular lubricant</td>
			<td>Dechra</td>
			<td>17033-211-38</td>
			<td>Surgery</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rabbit anti-GFAP&#160;</td>
			<td>Dako</td>
			<td>Z0334</td>
			<td>IHC</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rabbit anti-IBA1&#160;</td>
			<td>Wako</td>
			<td>019-19741</td>
			<td>IHC</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>8-arm Radial Arm Water Maze</td>
			<td>MazeEngineers</td>
			<td>n/a</td>
			<td>RAWM&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Scale</td>
			<td>OHAUS CS series</td>
			<td>BAL-101</td>
			<td>Surgery prep</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Scalpel Handle #7 Solid 6.25&#34;&#160;</td>
			<td>Roboz</td>
			<td>RS-9847</td>
			<td>Surgery</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sterile Alcohol Prep Pads (isopropyl alcohol 70% v/v)</td>
			<td>Fisher Brand</td>
			<td>22-363-750</td>
			<td>Surgery prep</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>SumnoSuite low-flow anesthesia system</td>
			<td>Kent Scientific</td>
			<td>SS-01</td>
			<td>Surgery</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>10 mL syringe Luer-Lok Tip</td>
			<td>BD Bard-Parker</td>
			<td>302995</td>
			<td>Head support apparatus</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Timers</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>6KED8</td>
			<td>Surgery</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Topical anesthetic cream</td>
			<td>L.M.X 4</td>
			<td>NDC 0496-0882-15</td>
			<td>Surgery prep</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Triple antibiotic ointment</td>
			<td>Major</td>
			<td>NDC 0904-0734-31</td>
			<td>Post-surgery</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tubing</td>
			<td>MasterFlex</td>
			<td>96410-16</td>
			<td>Head support apparatus</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Vaporizer Single Channel Anesthesia System</td>
			<td>Kent Scientific</td>
			<td>VetFlo-1210S</td>
			<td>Surgery prep</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

electromagnetic controlled closed-head model of mild traumatic brain injury in mice

Highly reproducible animal models of traumatic brain injury (TBI), with well-defined pathologies, are needed for testing therapeutic interventions and understanding the mechanisms of how a TBI alters brain function. The availability of multiple animal models of TBI is necessary to model the different aspects and severities of TBI seen in people. This manuscript describes the use of a midline closed head injury (CHI) to develop a mouse model of mild TBI. The model is considered mild because it does not produce structural brain lesions based on neuroimaging or gross neuronal loss. However, a single impact creates enough pathology that cognitive impairment is measurable at least 1 month after injury. A step-by-step protocol to induce a CHI in mice using a stereotaxically guided electromagnetic impactor is defined in the paper. The benefits of the mild midline CHI model include the reproducibility of the injury-induced changes with low mortality. The model has been temporally characterized up to 1 year after the injury for neuroimaging, neurochemical, neuropathological, and behavioral changes. The model is complementary to open skull models of controlled cortical impact using the same impactor device. Thus, labs can model both mild diffuse TBI and focal moderate-to-severe TBI with the same impactor.

This stereotaxic electromagnetic impactor device is versatile. It is used for both an open skull controlled cortical impact (CCI) or a closed head injury (CHI) surgery. Furthermore, the injury severity can be modulated by changing the injury parameters such as impact velocity, dwell time, impact depth, impactor tip, and injury target. Herein is described a CHI surgery using a 5.0 mm steel tip impactor. This injury is considered mild because there are no structural brain lesions. The mortality rate in adult mice is less t...

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Electromagnetic Controlled Closed-Head Model of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Mice

The protocol describes mild traumatic brain injury in a mouse model. In particular, a step-by-step protocol to induce a mild midline closed head injury and the characterization of the animal model is fully explained.

Highly reproducible animal models of traumatic brain injury (TBI), with well-defined pathologies, are needed for testing therapeutic interventions and ...

Most traumatic brain injuries are mild, or more commonly known as a concussion.The CHI procedure models pathologists that can occur following a mild TBI in people.The CHI protocol is highly reproducible with low variability, and only requires a single closed head impact, making the model accessible to new users.In addition to understanding how the brain changes after a mild TBI, the CHI model can be used to test therapies to speed recovery.One of the challenging steps in performing the CHI surgery is securing the animal into the stereotaxic frame.In particular, the most difficult part is placing the ear bars.This can only be learned with practice.Use a designated surgical area, such as a hood or dedicated surgical room to perform surgery.Ensure that the surgical area includes a heating pad, a stereotaxic frame equipped with an electromagnetic impactor, and an anesthesia mask designed to administer isoflurane gas.For impactor setup, select the five-millimeter probe tip.Screw the probe tip to the piston at the bottom center of the actuator, and gently tighten the probe without applying excessive force.Re-tighten the tip between impacts.Next, set up the impact velocity by rotating the large knob on the left side of the control box until an impact velocity of 5.0

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Neuroscience

Lateral Fluid Percussion: Model of Traumatic Brain Injury in Mice

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) research has attained renewed momentum due to the increasing awareness of head injuries, which result in morbidity and mortality. Based on the nature of primary injury following TBI, complex and heterogeneous secondary consequences result, which are followed by regenerative processes 1,2. Primary injury can be induced by a direct contusion to the brain from skull fracture or from shearing and stretching of tissue causing displacement of brain due to movement 3,4. The resulting hematomas and lacerations cause a vascular response 3,5, and the morphological and functional damage of the white matter leads to diffuse axonal injury 6-8. Additional secondary changes commonly seen in the brain are edema and increased intracranial pressure 9. Following TBI there are microscopic alterations in biochemical and physiological pathways involving the release of excitotoxic neurotransmitters, immune mediators and oxygen radicals 10-12, which ultimately result in long-term neurological disabilities 13,14. Thus choosing appropriate animal models of TBI that present similar cellular and molecular events in human and rodent TBI is critical for studying the mechanisms underlying injury and repair.
Various experimental models of TBI have been developed to reproduce aspects of TBI observed in humans, among them three specific models are widely adapted for rodents: fluid percussion, cortical impact and weight drop/impact acceleration 1. The fluid percussion device produces an injury through a craniectomy by applying a brief fluid pressure pulse on to the intact dura. The pulse is created by a pendulum striking the piston of a reservoir of fluid. The percussion produces brief displacement and deformation of neural tissue 1,15. Conversely, cortical impact injury delivers mechanical energy to the intact dura via a rigid impactor under pneumatic pressure 16,17. The weight drop/impact model is characterized by the fall of a rod with a specific mass on the closed skull 18. Among the TBI models, LFP is the most established and commonly used model to evaluate mixed focal and diffuse brain injury 19. It is reproducible and is standardized to allow for the manipulation of injury parameters. LFP recapitulates injuries observed in humans, thus rendering it clinically relevant, and allows for exploration of novel therapeutics for clinical translation 20.
We describe the detailed protocol to perform LFP procedure in mice. The injury inflicted is mild to moderate, with brain regions such as cortex, hippocampus and corpus callosum being most vulnerable. Hippocampal and motor learning tasks are explored following LFP.

Lateral fluid percussion (LFP), an established model of traumatic brain injury in mice, is demonstrated. LFP fulfills three major criteria for animal models: validity, reliability and clinical relevance. The procedure, consisting of surgical craniotomy, fixation of hub followed by induction of injury, resulting in focal and diffuse injuries, is described.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) research has attained renewed momentum due to the increasing awareness of head injuries, which result in morbidity and ...

Investigations on Alterations of Hippocampal Circuit Function Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) afflicts more than 1.7 million people in the United States each year and even mild TBI can lead to persistent neurological impairments 1. Two pervasive and disabling symptoms experienced by TBI survivors, memory deficits and a reduction in seizure threshold, are thought to be mediated by TBI-induced hippocampal dysfunction 2,3. In order to demonstrate how altered hippocampal circuit function adversely affects behavior after TBI in mice, we employ lateral fluid percussion injury, a commonly used animal model of TBI that recreates many features of human TBI including neuronal cell loss, gliosis, and ionic perturbation 4-6.
	Here we demonstrate a combinatorial method for investigating TBI-induced hippocampal dysfunction. Our approach incorporates multiple ex vivo physiological techniques together with animal behavior and biochemical analysis, in order to analyze post-TBI changes in the hippocampus. We begin with the experimental injury paradigm along with behavioral analysis to assess cognitive disability following TBI. Next, we feature three distinct ex vivo recording techniques: extracellular field potential recording, visualized whole-cell patch-clamping, and voltage sensitive dye recording. Finally, we demonstrate a method for regionally dissecting subregions of the hippocampus that can be useful for detailed analysis of neurochemical and metabolic alterations post-TBI.
	These methods have been used to examine the alterations in hippocampal circuitry following TBI and to probe the opposing changes in network circuit function that occur in the dentate gyrus and CA1 subregions of the hippocampus (see Figure 1). The ability to analyze the post-TBI changes in each subregion is essential to understanding the underlying mechanisms contributing to TBI-induced behavioral and cognitive deficits. 
	The multi-faceted system outlined here allows investigators to push past characterization of phenomenology induced by a disease state (in this case TBI) and determine the mechanisms responsible for the observed pathology associated with TBI.

A multi-faceted approach to investigating functional changes to hippocampal circuitry is explained. Electrophysiological techniques are described along with the injury protocol, behavioral testing and regional dissection method. The combination of these techniques can be applied in similar fashion for other brain regions and scientific questions.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) afflicts more than 1.7 million people in the United States each year and even mild TBI can lead to persistent neurological ...

A Method to Inflict Closed Head Traumatic Brain Injury in Drosophila

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects millions of people each year, causing impairment of physical, cognitive, and behavioral functions and death. Studies using Drosophila have contributed important breakthroughs in understanding neurological processes. Thus, with the goal of understanding the cellular and molecular basis of TBI pathologies in humans, we developed the High Impact Trauma (HIT) device to inflict closed head TBI in flies. Flies subjected to the HIT device display phenotypes consistent with human TBI such as temporary incapacitation and progressive neurodegeneration. The HIT device uses a spring-based mechanism to propel flies against the wall of a vial, causing mechanical damage to the fly brain. The device is inexpensive and easy to construct, its operation is simple and rapid, and it produces reproducible results. Consequently, the HIT device can be combined with existing experimental tools and techniques for flies to address fundamental questions about TBI that can lead to the development of diagnostics and treatments for TBI. In particular, the HIT device can be used to perform large-scale genetic screens to understand the genetic basis of TBI pathologies.

A Method to Inflict Closed Head Traumatic Brain Injury in Drosophila

Here we describe a method to inflict closed head traumatic brain injury (TBI) in Drosophila. This method provides a gateway to investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie TBI pathologies using the vast array of experimental tools and techniques available for flies.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects millions of people each year, causing impairment of physical, cognitive, and behavioral functions and death. Studies ...

Advanced Diffusion Imaging in The Hippocampus of Rats with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is the most common type of acquired brain injury. Since patients with traumatic brain injury show a tremendous variability and heterogeneity (age, gender, type of trauma, other possible pathologies, etc.), animal models play a key role in unraveling factors that are limitations in clinical research. They provide a standardized and controlled setting to investigate the biological mechanisms of injury and repair following TBI. However, not all animal models mimic the diffuse and subtle nature of mTBI effectively. For example, the commonly used controlled cortical impact (CCI) and lateral fluid percussion injury (LFPI) models make use of a craniotomy to expose the brain and induce widespread focal trauma, which are not commonly seen in mTBI. Therefore, these experimental models are not valid to mimic mTBI. Thus, an appropriate model should be used to investigate mTBI. The Marmarou weight drop model for rats induces similar microstructural alterations and cognitive impairments as seen in patients who sustain mild trauma; therefore, this model was selected for this protocol. Conventional computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans commonly show no damage following a mild injury, because mTBI induces often only subtle and diffuse injuries. With diffusion weighted MRI, it is possible to investigate microstructural properties of brain tissue, which can provide more insight into the microscopic alterations following mild trauma. Therefore, the goal of this study is to obtain quantitative information of a selected region-of-interest (i.e., hippocampus) to follow up disease progression after obtaining a mild and diffuse brain injury.

The overall goal of this procedure is to obtain quantitative microstructural information of the hippocampus in a rat with mild traumatic brain injury. This is done using an advanced diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging protocol and region-of-interest based analysis of parametric diffusion maps.

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is the most common type of acquired brain injury. Since patients with traumatic brain injury show a tremendous ...

Murine Model of Controlled Cortical Impact for the Induction of Traumatic Brain Injury

The Centers for Disease Control and Injury Prevention estimate that almost 2 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) every year in the United States. In fact, TBI is a contributing factor to over a third of all injury-related mortality. Nonetheless, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of TBI are poorly understood. Thus, preclinical models of TBI capable of replicating the injury mechanisms pertinent to TBI in human patients are a critical research need. The controlled cortical impact (CCI) model of TBI utilizes a mechanical device to directly impact the exposed cortex. While no model can full recapitulate the disparate injury patterns and heterogeneous nature of TBI in human patients, CCI is capable of inducing a wide range of clinically applicable TBI. Furthermore, CCI is easily standardized allowing investigators to compare results across experiments as well as across investigative groups. The following protocol is a detailed description of applying a severe CCI with a commercially available impacting device in a murine model of TBI.

Here we describe a protocol for the induction of murine traumatic brain injury via an open-head controlled cortical impact.

The Centers for Disease Control and Injury Prevention estimate that almost 2 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) every year in the ...

Low-intensity Blast Wave Model for Preclinical Assessment of Closed-head Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Rodents

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a large-scale public health problem. Mild TBI is the most prevalent form of neurotrauma and accounts for a large number of medical visits in the United States. There are currently no FDA-approved treatments available for TBI. The increased incidence of military-related, blast-induced TBI further accentuates the urgent need for effective TBI treatments. Therefore, new preclinical TBI animal models that recapitulate aspects of human blast-related TBI will greatly advance the research efforts into the neurobiological and pathophysiological processes underlying mild to moderate TBI as well as the development of novel therapeutic strategies for TBI.
Here we present a reliable, reproducible model for the investigation of the molecular, cellular, and behavioral effects of mild to moderate blast-induced TBI. We describe a step-by-step protocol for closed-head, blast-induced mild TBI in rodents using a bench-top setup consisting of a gas-driven shock tube equipped with piezoelectric pressure sensors to ensure consistent test conditions. The benefits of the setup that we have established are its relative low-cost, ease of installation, ease of use and high-throughput capacity. Further advantages of this non-invasive TBI model include the scalability of the blast peak overpressure and the generation of controlled reproducible outcomes. The reproducibility and relevance of this TBI model has been evaluated in a number of downstream applications, including neurobiological, neuropathological, neurophysiological and behavioral analyses, supporting the use of this model for the characterization of processes underlying the etiology of mild to moderate TBI.

We present here a protocol of a blast wave model for rodents to investigate neurobiological and pathophysiological effects of mild to moderate traumatic brain injury. We established a gas-driven, bench-top setup equipped with pressure sensors allowing for reliable and reproducible generation of blast-induced mild to moderate traumatic brain injury.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a large-scale public health problem. Mild TBI is the most prevalent form of neurotrauma and accounts for a large number of ...

Assessing Changes in Synaptic Plasticity Using an Awake Closed-Head Injury Model of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs) are a prevalent health issue in North America. There is increasing pressure to utilize ecologically valid models of closed-head mTBI in the preclinical setting to increase translatability to the clinical population. The awake closed-headed injury (ACHI) model uses a modified controlled cortical impactor to deliver closed-headed injury, inducing clinically relevant behavioral deficits without the need for a craniotomy or the use of an anesthetic.
This technique does not normally induce fatalities, skull fractures, or brain bleeds, and is more consistent with being a mild injury. Indeed, the mild nature of the ACHI procedure makes it ideal for studies investigating repetitive mTBI (r-mTBI). Growing evidence indicates that r-mTBI can result in a cumulative injury that produces behavioral symptoms, neuropathological changes, and neurodegeneration. r-mTBI is common in youths playing sports, and these injuries occur during a period of robust synaptic reorganization and myelination, making the younger population particularly vulnerable to the long-term influences of r-mTBI.
Further, r-mTBI occurs in cases of intimate partner violence, a condition for which there are few objective screening measures. In these experiments, synaptic function was assessed in the hippocampus in juvenile rats that had experienced r-mTBI using the ACHI model. Following the injuries, a tissue slicer was utilized to make hippocampal slices to evaluate bidirectional synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus at either 1 or 7 days following the r-mTBI. Overall, the ACHI model provides researchers with an ecologically valid model to study changes in synaptic plasticity following mTBI and r-mTBI.

Here, it is demonstrated how an awake closed-head injury model can be used for examining the effects of repeated mild traumatic brain injury (r-mTBI) on synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus. The model replicates important features of r-mTBI in patients and is used in conjunction with in vitro electrophysiology.

Mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs) are a prevalent health issue in North America. There is increasing pressure to utilize ecologically valid models of ...

Validating Injury Response and Behavioral Assessments in an mTBI Rat Model

Rat Model of Closed-Head Mild Traumatic Injury and its Validation

Animal models are crucial for advancing our understanding of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and guiding clinical research. To achieve meaningful insights, developing a stable and reproducible animal model is essential. In this study, we report a detailed description of a closed-head mTBI model and a representative validation method using Sprague-Dawley rats to verify the modeling effect. The model involves dropping a 550 g mass weight from a height of 100 cm directly onto the head of a rat on a destructible surface, followed by a 180-degree turn. To assess the injury, rats underwent a series of neurobehavioral assessments 10 min post-injury, including time of loss of consciousness, first seeking-behavior time, escape ability, and beam balance ability test. During the acute and subacute stages following the injury, behavioral tests were conducted to assess motor coordination ability (Beam task), anxiety (Open Field test), and learning and memory abilities (Morris Water Maze test). The closed-head mTBI model produced a consistent injury response with minimal mortality and replicated real-life situations. The validation method effectively verified the model development and ensured the stability and consistency of the model.

Author Spotlight: Advancing Traumatic Brain Injury Research - A Closed-Head Model for Accurate Replication and Rapid Assessment 

Here, we present a closed-head mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) rat model and its validation exhibiting remarkable similarity to human mTBI concerning behavioral manifestations during the acute and subacute stages.

Animal models are crucial for advancing our understanding of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and guiding clinical research. To achieve meaningful ...

Experimental Set Up to Create a Rat Model of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI)

Experimental Set Up to Create a Rat Model of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI)  

To begin, place a 12-centimeter thick sponge with a 35D hardness in an acrylic box, lacking a top cover. Then, cut a sheet of tinfoil and adhere it to the acrylic box with adhesive tape to create a fragile surface capable of supporting the weight of a rat. Also, mark a 10-centimeter long line as the designated location for positioning the rat's head.Using an iron stand, firmly secure a polyvinyl chloride or PVC tube in place. Prepare a perforated weight weighing 550 grams with an 18-millimeter diameter. Attach the weight to a fishing line at a height of one meter inside the PVC tube and adjust the position of the guide tube three centimeters above the tin foil.Next, make a helmet from a stainless steel disc. Prepare a wedge-shaped sponge pillow to place under the rat's head. Swiftly position the anesthetized rat on its chest in the tinfoil.Slide the pillow beneath the rat, ensuring its head remains parallel to the foil surface. Align the helmet with the rat's ears, and securely fasten it in place. Confirm that the PVC pipe is directly above the helmet.Then, release the weight and allow it to impact the rat's head resulting in a fall onto the sponge and a 180 degree rotation. Afterwards, position the rat on its back inside a clean cage.

Acute Neurobehavioral Assessments of the Closed-Head Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) Rat Model

Acute Neurobehavioral Assessments of the Closed-Head Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI) Rat Model  

After inducing a mild traumatic brain injury in an anesthetized rat, position it on its back inside a clean cage. Record the duration from when the rat is anesthetized to when it regains the righting reflex. Also record the time it takes for the rat to exhibit its first seeking behavior from the moment of anesthesia.Next place the rat in the center of a circular apparatus with an exit. Measure and record the time it takes for the rat to exit the circle. Then place the rat successively on three beams of varying length each for a duration of one minute.Score the rat on a scale of zero to six, depending on their performance on the beam. mTBI rats exhibited a significantly prolonged recovery from unconsciousness. The seeking behavior increased significantly in the mTBI group during the recovery period.Also, the mTBI rats took longer to exit the circle compared to sham rats. The beam balance test showed a significant injury effect in wide beam tasks indicating balance impairment in mTBI rats 10 minutes post impact. The 2 and 1.5 centimeter wide beams effectively differentiated between sham and mTBI groups in three independent experiments.