Animal Models and the Search for Drug Treatments for Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the use of animals in research into traumatic brain injury. It begins with a brief consideration of the epidemiology of human brain injury, before examining the various ways in which animals are used to “model” human brain injuries. The bulk of the chapter explores the impact of preclinical animal research on the treatment of human traumatic brain injury. Bearing in mind this impact, the ethics of animal research into traumatic brain injury are discussed, as is the adequacy of current regulatory frameworks. Before concluding, advances in human-relevant (non-animal) approaches to investigating human traumatic brain injury are briefly considered.