Journal of neurotrauma
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Journal of neurotrauma · Feb 2016
Cavum Septi Pellucidi in Symptomatic Former Professional Football Players.
Post-mortem studies reveal a high rate of cavum septi pellucidi (CSP) in chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). It remains, however, to be determined whether or not the presence of CSP may be a potential in vivo imaging marker in populations at high risk to develop CTE. The aim of this study was to evaluate CSP in former professional American football players presenting with cognitive and behavioral symptoms compared with noncontact sports athletes. ⋯ In addition, a greater length of CSP was associated with decreased performance on a list learning task (Neuropsychological Assessment Battery List A Immediate Recall, p = 0.04) and decreased test scores on a measure of estimate verbal intelligence (Wide Range Achievement Test Fourth Edition Reading Test, p = 0.02). Given the high prevalence of CSP in neuropathologically confirmed CTE in addition to the results of this study, CSP may serve as a potential early in vivo imaging marker to identify those at high risk for CTE. Future research is needed to investigate the pathomechanism underlying the development of CSP after repetitive head impacts, and its potential association with neuropathologically confirmed CTE.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Feb 2016
Dietary Docosahexaenoic Acid Improves Cognitive Function, Tissue Sparing, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Indices of Edema and White Matter Injury in the Immature Rat after Traumatic Brain Injury.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of acquired neurologic disability in children. Specific therapies to treat acute TBI are lacking. Cognitive impairment from TBI may be blunted by decreasing inflammation and oxidative damage after injury. ⋯ DHA improved short- and long-term neurologic outcomes after CCI in the rat pup. Given its favorable safety profile, DHA is a promising candidate therapy for pediatric TBI. Further studies are needed to explore neuroprotective mechanisms of DHA after developmental TBI.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Feb 2016
ApoE Regulates Injury-Induced Activation of Hippocampal Neural Stem and Progenitor Cells.
Partial recovery from even severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) is ubiquitous and occurs largely through unknown mechanisms. Recent evidence suggests that hippocampal neural stem/progenitor cell (NSPC) activation and subsequent neurogenesis are responsible for at least some aspects of spontaneous recovery following TBI. Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) regulates postnatal neurogenesis in the hippocampus and is therefore a putative mediator of injury-induced neurogenesis. ⋯ This proliferative injury response was absent in ApoE-deficient mice, as no increase in GFP+ cells was observed in the injured hippocampus, compared with sham mice, despite an overall increase in proliferation indicated by increased BrdU+ cells (86%; p<0.05). CCI-induced proliferation of GFP+ cells in both ApoE3 and ApoE4 mice but the overall response was attenuated in ApoE4 mice due to fewer GFP+ cells at baseline. We demonstrate that ApoE is required for injury-induced proliferation of NSPCs after experimental TBI, and that this response is influenced by human APOE genotype.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Feb 2016
Acute Alcohol Intoxication in Patients with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Characteristics, Recovery and Outcome.
A substantial number of patients (30% to 50%) sustains a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) while they are under the influence of alcohol. An acute alcohol intoxication (AAI) at the time of injury has been subject of research in severe TBI, but little is known about the relation between AAI and mTBI. This study aimed to describe the characteristics of this intoxicated subgroup and evaluate recovery and outcome in comparison to sober mTBI patients. ⋯ The intoxicated group was assessed with a lower GCS score and had a higher hospital admission rate. However, at 2 weeks post-injury, intoxicated patients reported less complaints than the non-alcohol group and showed a better recovery at 6 months (average GOSE scores 7 vs. 7.3; p = 0.030). We conclude that AAI in mTBI represents a characteristically different group, which has implications for prevention measures, as well as the course of recovery.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Feb 2016
A Novel Closed-head Model of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury using Focal Primary Overpressure Blast to the Cranium in Mice.
Mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) from focal head impact is the most common form of TBI in humans. Animal models, however, typically use direct impact to the exposed dura or skull, or blast to the entire head. We present a detailed characterization of a novel overpressure blast system to create focal closed-head mild TBI in mice. ⋯ By contrast, a single 50-60 psi blast produces significant visual, motor, and neuropsychiatric impairments and axonal damage and microglial activation in major fiber tracts, but no contusive brain injury. This model thus reproduces the widespread axonal injury and functional impairments characteristic of closed-head mild TBI, without the complications of systemic or ocular blast effects or head acceleration that typically occur in other blast or impact models of closed-skull mild TBI. Accordingly, our model provides a simple way to examine the biomechanics, pathophysiology, and functional deficits that result from TBI and can serve as a reliable platform for testing therapies that reduce brain pathology and deficits.