Actigraphic evidence of persistent sleep disruption following repetitive mild traumatic brain injury in a gyrencephalic model

Abstract

We studied the effect of multimodal traumatic brain injuries on daily sleep/activity patterns and related histology. Gyrencephalic ferrets wore actigraphs and received military-relevant brain injuries including shockwaves, strong rotational impact, and variable stress, which were evaluated up to 6 months post injury. Sham and Baseline animals exhibited activity patterns occurring in distinct clusters of high activity, interspersed with periods of low activity. In the Injury and Injury + Stress groups, activity clusters diminished and overall activity patterns became significantly more dispersed at 4 weeks post injury with significant sleep fragmentation. Additionally, the Injury + Stress group exhibited a significant decrease in daytime high activity up to 4 months post injury. At 4 weeks post injury, the reactive astrocyte (GFAP) immunoreactivity was significantly greater in both the injury groups compared to Sham, but did not differ at 6 months post injury. The intensity of immunoreactivity of the astrocytic endfeet that surround blood vessels (visualized with aquaporin 4; AQP4), however, differed significantly from Sham at 4 weeks post injury (in both injured groups) and at 6 months (Injury + Stress only). As the distribution of AQP4 plays a key role in the glymphatic system, we suggest that glymphatic disruption occurs in ferrets after the injuries described here.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Jun 12, 2023
Source ID
10.1093/cercor/bhad199

Entities

People

  • Adedunsola Obasa
  • Daniel P. Perl
  • Joseph T McCabe
  • Nicholas Breehl
  • Sharon L. Juliano
  • Susan C Schwerin
  • Thaddeus Haight
  • Yeonho Kim

Organizations

  • Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine
  • Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs
  • Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine
  • Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Biology

Readers

  • Circadian Sleep-Wake Regulation and Chronobiology
  • Neuroscience
  • Neurotrauma and Rehabilitation Medicine.