Pathological and Pathophysiological Alterations in Temporal Lobe Structures After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Abstract
Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) accounts for 80 percent of all head trauma cases annually. Patients that suffer from mTBI present with an array of physical, cognitive and emotional symptoms (e.g., headache, disorientation, confusion, irritability) known as post concussive syndrome (PCS), which resolves fairly quickly after injury. Nonetheless, victims of mTBI are at risk of developing long-lasting cognitive and neuropsychiatric disorders, including memory deficits and anxiety. The absence of clear damage to the brain that can explain both the symptoms observed in PCS and the development of anxiety and cognitive disorders represents a challenge in the field of mTBI. The objective of this dissertation was to investigate the molecular, functional, and morphological alterations that contribute to the development of cognitive impairments and anxiety disorders following mTBI. We used the controlled cortical impact (CCI) model of traumatic brain injury (TBI) to induce mTBI in rats and investigated the pathophysiological alterations to the hippocampus and amygdala, as these two brain regions play a major role in the development of cognitive impairment and anxiety disorders, respectively.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 31, 2014
- Accession Number
- AD1012808
Entities
People
- Camila P. De Almeida
Organizations
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences