Diffusion tensor imaging reveals acute subcortical changes after mild blast-induced traumatic brain injury. Sci Rep 2014 May 02;4:4809
Date
05/03/2014Pubmed ID
24786839Pubmed Central ID
PMC4019232DOI
10.1038/srep04809Scopus ID
2-s2.0-84899864979 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 38 CitationsAbstract
Mild blast-induced traumatic brain injury (mbTBI) poses special diagnostic challenges due to its overlapping symptomatology with other neuropsychiatric conditions and the lack of objective outcome measures. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can potentially provide clinically relevant information toward a differential diagnosis. In this study, we aimed to determine if single and repeated (5 total; administered on consecutive days) mild blast overpressure exposure results in detectable structural changes in the brain, especially in the hippocampus. Fixed rat brains were analyzed by ex vivo DTI at 2 h and 42 days after blast (or sham) exposure(s). An anatomy-based region of interest analysis revealed significant interactions in axial and radial diffusivity in a number of subcortical structures at 2 h only. Differences between single- and multiple-injured rats were largely in the thalamus but not the hippocampus. Our findings demonstrate the value and the limitations of DTI in providing a better understanding of mbTBI pathobiology.
Author List
Kamnaksh A, Budde MD, Kovesdi E, Long JB, Frank JA, Agoston DVAuthor
Matthew Budde PhD Associate Professor in the Neurosurgery department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AnimalsBrain
Brain Injuries
Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Hippocampus
Male
Organ Size
Rats
Time Factors
