Multiple mild traumatic brain injury in the rat produces persistent pathological alterations in the brain.

Multiple mild traumatic brain injury in the rat produces persistent pathological alterations in the brain. Exp Neurol. 2017 Jul 26;: Authors: Brooks DM, Patel SA, Wohlgehagen ED, Semmens E, Pearce A, Sorich EA, Rau TF Abstract Multiple mild traumatic brain injury (mmTBI), in certain cases, produces persistent symptoms. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these symptoms remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate extended pathological changes in the rat brain following mmTBI. Using the lateral fluid percussion (LFP) technique we exposed adult male Wistar rats to a mild TBI (mTBI) once a week for four weeks and compared them to surgical shams. At 90days following the last TBI or sham procedure the animals were cognitively tested in the Morris Water Maze (MWM), euthanized, and the brains removed for immunohistochemistry. At 90days following the last mTBI, NRF-2 staining was significantly decreased in the hilus of the hippocampus and cortex on the injured side, but did not significantly differ from shams on the un-injured side. CD68 positive microglia were significantly increased in the ipsilateral corpus callosum, cortex, and internal capsule of injured animals. Reactive astrocytosis, determined by increased GFAP staining, was also evident in the corpus callosum, cortex, internal capsule and thalamus on the injured side. Interestingly, the corpus callosum thickness at the midline was decreased in injured animals and had evident demyel...
Source: Experimental Neurology - Category: Neurology Authors: Tags: Exp Neurol Source Type: research