title: Selective vulnerability of the cerebral vasculature to blast injury in a rat model of mild traumatic brain injury.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Blast-related traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a common cause of injury in the military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. How the primary blast wave affects the brain is not well understood. The aim of the present study was to examine whether blast exposure affects the cerebral vasculature in a rodent model. We analyzed the brains of rats exposed to single or multiple (three) 74.5 kPa blast exposures, conditions that mimic a mild TBI. Rats were sacrificed 24 hours or between 6 and 10 months after exposure. Blast-induced cerebral vascular pathology was examined by a combination of light microscopy, immunohistochemistry, and electron microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We describe a selective vascular pathology that is present acutely at 24 hours after injury. The vascular pathology is found at the margins of focal shear-related injuries that, as we previously showed, typically follow the patterns of penetrating cortical vessels. However, changes in the microvasculature extend beyond the margins of such lesions. Electron microscopy revealed that microvascular pathology is found in regions of the brain with an otherwise normal neuropil. This initial injury leads to chronic changes in the microvasculature that are still evident many months after the initial blast exposure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These studies suggest that vascular pathology may be a central mechanism in the induction of chronic blast-related injury.
authors.affiliation: General Medical Research Service, James J, Peters Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 130 West Kingsbridge Road, Bronx, New York, USA. miguel.gama-sosa@mssm.edu.
authors.forename: Miguel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Gama Sosa
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Gasperi
authors.forename: Pierce L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.forename: Frank J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Yuk
authors.forename: Pamela C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Anazodo
authors.forename: Paul E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Pricop
authors.forename: Alejandro J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Paulino
authors.forename: Bridget
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wicinski
authors.forename: Michael C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Shaughness
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maudlin-Jeronimo
authors.forename: Aaron A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Dara L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Dickstein
authors.forename: Richard M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: McCarron
authors.forename: Mikulas
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chavko
authors.forename: Patrick R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Hof
authors.forename: Stephen T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Ahlers
authors.forename: Gregory A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Elder
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001753:Blast Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D005911:Gliosis / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D055806:Microvessels / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D013997:Time Factors; D020293:Vasculitis, Central Nervous System / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein