Histopathologic consequences of moderate concussion in an animal model: correlations with duration of unconsciousness.
Although duration of unconsciousness is commonly used as a prognostic index following traumatic brain injury (TBI), few controlled studies have statistically evaluated the relationship between unconsciousness and histologic pathology, particularly after moderate head injury. Using a pendulum-striker concussive device, a reproducible model of TBI in rats was developed. This model is uncomplicated by skull fractures, contusions, or experimenter-induced craniotomies. In the present study, the severity of the histopathology observed in this model of moderate closed-head injury at 48 h posttrauma is linearly related to the duration of unconsciousness (p < 0.0001). The pathology, assessed with a silver stain for neurodegeneration, is particularly striking if unconsciousness persists for 4 minutes or more. These data suggest that the initial period of unconsciousness may be a useful predictor of clinical brain histopathology associated with moderate closed-head injury, predicting either the degree of pathology and/or the rate it progresses if left untreated.
Morehead
M
M
Department of Pharmacology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Bartus
R T
RT
Dean
R L
RL
Miotke
J A
JA
Murphy
S
S
Sall
J
J
Goldman
H
H
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D001924:Brain Concussion / Q000473:pathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013997:Time Factors; D014474:Unconsciousness / Q000473:pathology*