A simple device for experimentally concussing the rat.
A device is described for eliciting acceleration concussion in the awake rat. Animals, which were manually restrained, were struck on the occipital crest by a rubber knob attached to the striker wire of a spring-loaded rat trap. This method produced concussion with survival in over 50% of animals tested. The remainder were either simply stunned or else died shortly after the blow to the head. The device is compared with a number of alternate techniques designed to concuss the rat.
D000818:Animals; D001924:Brain Concussion; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008297:Male; D010827:Physiology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D051381:Rats