Neurocognitive and Biomarker Evaluation of Combination mTBI from Blast Overpressure and Traumatic Stress
Abstract
There is a high co-morbidity of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Warfighters. Co-morbid mTBI and PTSD appears to be more prevalent than mTBI cases in isolation. Mild TBI and PTSD are statistically ranked the highest of battlefield injuries in OIF and OEF. It is generally assumed that the manifestation of mTBI symptoms result from one or more exposures to improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and that PTSD symptoms result from exposure to prolonged battlefield stress. The high incidence and comorbidity of PTSD and mTBI underscore an imperative for the DoD research community to gain an understanding of the underlying mechanisms that precipitate these conditions together with the often associated post-concussive syndrome (PCS) which appears to share many of the same cognitive and emotive symptoms associated with TBI and PTSD. The purpose of the proposed experiments is to determine the relative contributions of repeated exposure to blast overpressure (BOP) and exposure to stressful (predatory) events, when presented alone and in combination, in a rodent model. The level of BOP used in the proposed experiments has been demonstrated by the PI (Ahlers) to be associated with mild outcomes where there is evidence of cognitive impairment in the absence of demonstrable pathology. The proposed experiments take advantage of years of extensive experience from the primary investigators (Ahlers & Genovese) in studies of the effects of BOP and stressful events and their effects on behavior. The assessment behavioral outcomes resulting from exposure to BOP and stress will be complemented by the assessment of the potential protein biomarkers by Dr. Dave and his group who have considerable experience identifying protein biomarkers for brain injury.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2012
- Accession Number
- ADA626323
Entities
People
- Jitandra Dave
- Rayond Genovese
- Stephen Ahlers
Organizations
- Geneva Foundation