Modified device for fluid percussion injury in rodents

• Published in: Journal of neuroscience research 2018-08, Vol.96 (8), p.1412-1429
• Main Authors: Ouyang, Wei, Wu, Wenhui, Fan, Zhiheng, Wang, Jihui, Pan, Huiju, Yang, Weibin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal models; Aversion; behavior changes; Brain; Cognition; Cognitive ability; Cylinders; electrophysiological changes; fluid percussion device; Geotaxis; Head injuries; Hippocampus; Mice; neurological evaluation; Percussion; percussion parameters; Reflexes; Rodents; Steel; Traumatic brain injury; Visual perception
• ISSN: 0360-4012; 1097-4547
• DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24261

Fluid percussion (FP) injury model is a popular animal model of traumatic brain injury (TBI), but still there are some issues need to be addressed. To increase the validity and reliability of this technique, we adapted the FP device using electromagnetic protractor, stainless‐steel cylinder, changing pressure transducer position, and foam pads to adjust the parameters of FP pulse. Besides, the adjusted FP device is more automatic. The FP pulse is promptly measured and displayed in a graphic user interface software. The modified device resulted in reliable FP pulse. The accuracy of the pendulum leveling was improved with using the electromagnetic protractor with slots. We then collected behavioral, cognition, electrophysiological, and immunohistochemical data to verify the percussion effects in TBI mice. Lateral fluid percussion injury (FPI) or sham treatment was administered at the right frontal motorsensory region of male C57BL/6J mice. TBI mice showed evident motor, cognitive, and functional impairments, characterized by evaluation of neurological, righting, geotaxis and cliff aversion reflexes, limb asymmetrical use, rotarod running, and Morris water maze testing. The neurobehavioral damages were scaled with histopathological findings. Further, the overall firing rates and theta powers in hippocampal CA1 were significantly reduced in TBI mice compared to sham mice at Days 2 and 3 after electrode implanting. The adapted device induced effects on behavior and biology in mice that agree with existing models. These findings confirmed the validity of adjustments, and the modified device may boost the interest in TBI studies. To increase the validity and reliability of fluid percussion (FP) injury model, we have made efforts to adapt the FP device, such as using electromagnetic protractor, stainless‐steel cylinder, changing pressure transducer position, using foam pads to adjust the parameters of FP pulse and using graphic user interface (GUI) software to control the device etc. TBI mice showed evident motor, cognitive, functional and electrophysiological impairments. These findings confirm the validity of our adjustments; the improvements may boost the interest in TBI studies.