Impaired spatial learning in a novel rat model of mild cerebral concussion injury

• Published in: Experimental neurology 2005-10, Vol.195 (2), p.447-457
• Main Authors: Henninger, Nils, Dützmann, Stephan, Sicard, Kenneth M., Kollmar, Rainer, Bardutzky, Jürgen, Schwab, Stefan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ADC; Analysis of Variance; Animal model; Animals; Behavior, Animal; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Pressure - physiology; Brain - metabolism; Brain - pathology; Brain - physiopathology; Brain Concussion - complications; Brain Concussion - metabolism; Brain Concussion - pathology; Cell Count - methods; Cell Death; Diffuse axonal injury; Disease Models, Animal; DWI; Heart Rate - physiology; Histology; Immunohistochemistry - methods; Injuries of the nervous system and the skull. Diseases due to physical agents; Learning Disabilities - etiology; Learning Disabilities - metabolism; Learning Disabilities - pathology; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Male; MAP-2; Maze Learning - physiology; Medical sciences; Microtubule-Associated Proteins - metabolism; Morris water maze; MRI; Neurology; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Spatial Behavior - physiology; Time Factors; Traumas. Diseases due to physical agents; Traumatic brain injury; Vascular diseases and vascular malformations of the nervous system; βAPP
• ISSN: 0014-4886; 1090-2430
• DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2005.06.013

The aim of the present study was to develop a model of mild traumatic brain injury in the rat that mimics human concussive brain injury suitable to study pathophysiology and potential treatments. 34 male Wistar rats received a closed head trauma (TBI) and 30 animals served as controls (CON). Immediately following trauma, animals lost their muscle tone and righting reflex response, recovering from the latter within 11.4 ± 8.2 min. Corneal reflex and whisker responses returned within 4.5 ± 3.0 min and 6.1 ± 2.9 min, respectively. The impact resulted in a short transient decrease of pO 2 ( P