Brain Fluid Content Related to Body Position and Postmortem Interval - An Animal Model.
Adult male Sprague Dawley rats were euthanized and placed in a horizontal or vertical (head-down) position at room temperature, after which brain fluid content was measured by a moisture analysis technique at variable time points. No significant difference in brain fluid content was observed between horizontal and vertical postmortem positions. A significant increase in brain fluid content was demonstrated 3, 6, and 24 h after death, with maximal fluid content observed at 24 h. Specifically, the brain fluid content of control animals was 77.79 ± 0.36%, increasing to 80.05 ± 0.22% at 24 h (p < 0.0001). This study has demonstrated no significant differences in brain fluid content related to postmortem position, suggesting that a head-down position is not associated with increased brain fluid content or swelling. However, significant temporal increases in brain fluid content after death, most likely related to cerebral liquefaction, occur.
Adelaide Centre for Neuroscience Research, School of Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Frome Rd, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia.
Anna
A
Leonard
Adelaide Centre for Neuroscience Research, School of Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Frome Rd, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia.|University of South Australia, Frome Rd, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia.
Robert
R
Vink
Adelaide Centre for Neuroscience Research, School of Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Frome Rd, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia.
Roger W
RW
Byard
D000818:Animals; D001344:Autopsy; D001921:Brain; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D001929:Brain Edema; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
cerebral swelling; edema; forensic science; liquefaction; postmortem interval; postmortem position; time of death