title: Experimental diffuse brain injury results in regional alteration of gross vascular morphology independent of neuropathology.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A dynamic relationship exists between diffuse traumatic brain injury and changes to the neurovascular unit. The purpose of this study was to evaluate vascular changes during the first week following diffuse TBI. It was hypothesized that pathology is associated with modification of the vasculature.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent either midline fluid percussion injury or sham-injury. Brain tissue was collected 1, 2 or 7 days post-injury or sham-injury (n = 3/time point). Tissue was collected and stained by de Olmos amino-cupric silver technique to visualize neuropathology or animals were perfused with AltaBlue casting resin before high-resolution vascular imaging. The average volume, surface area, radius, branching and tortuosity of the vessels were evaluated across three regions of interest.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In M2, average vessel volume (p < 0.01) and surface area (p < 0.05) were significantly larger at 1 day relative to 2 days, 7 days and sham. In S1BF and VPM, no significant differences in the average vessel volume or surface area at any of the post-injury time points were observed. No significant changes in average radius, branching or tortuosity were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preliminary findings suggest gross morphological changes within the vascular network likely represent an acute response to mechanical forces of injury, rather than delayed or chronic pathological processes.
authors.affiliation: a BARROW Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children's Hospital , Phoenix , AZ , USA.|b Department of Child Health , University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix , Phoenix , AZ , USA.
authors.forename: Jenna M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ziebell
authors.affiliation: a BARROW Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children's Hospital , Phoenix , AZ , USA.|b Department of Child Health , University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix , Phoenix , AZ , USA.|c Phoenix VA Healthcare System , Phoenix , AZ , USA.
authors.forename: Rachel K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Rowe
authors.affiliation: a BARROW Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children's Hospital , Phoenix , AZ , USA.|b Department of Child Health , University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix , Phoenix , AZ , USA.
authors.forename: Jordan L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.affiliation: a BARROW Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children's Hospital , Phoenix , AZ , USA.|b Department of Child Health , University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix , Phoenix , AZ , USA.
authors.forename: Katharine C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Eakin
authors.affiliation: a BARROW Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children's Hospital , Phoenix , AZ , USA.|b Department of Child Health , University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix , Phoenix , AZ , USA.
authors.forename: Taylor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Colburn
authors.affiliation: a BARROW Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children's Hospital , Phoenix , AZ , USA.|b Department of Child Health , University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix , Phoenix , AZ , USA.|d Critical Care, Phoenix Children's Hospital , Phoenix , AZ , USA.
authors.forename: F Anthony
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Willyerd
authors.affiliation: a BARROW Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children's Hospital , Phoenix , AZ , USA.|b Department of Child Health , University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix , Phoenix , AZ , USA.|c Phoenix VA Healthcare System , Phoenix , AZ , USA.|e Psychology , Arizona State University , Tempe , AZ , USA.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lifshitz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D000070625:Brain Injuries, Diffuse / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000293:injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008297:Male; D000069338:Neuropathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
keywords: Neurovascular unit; midline fluid percussion; neuropathology; traumatic brain injury; vascular casting