Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms underlying traumatic neural injury and the sequelae of events in the acute phase is important for deciding on the best window of therapeutic intervention. We hypothesized that evoked potentials (EP) recorded from the cerebellar cortex can detect mild levels of neural trauma and provide a qualitative assessment tool for progression of cerebellar injury in time. The cerebellar local field potentials evoked by a mechanical tap on the hand and collected with chronically implanted micro-ECoG arrays on the rat cerebellar cortex demonstrated substantial changes both in amplitude and timing as a result of blast-wave induced injury. The results revealed that the largest EP changes occurred within the first day of injury, and partial recoveries were observed from day-1 to day-3, followed by a period of gradual improvements (day-7 to day-14). The mossy fiber (MF) and climbing fiber (CF) mediated components of the EPs were affected differentially. The behavioral tests (ladder rung walking) and immunohistological analysis (calbindin and caspase-3) did not reveal any detectable changes at these blast pressures that are typically considered as mild (100–130 kPa). The results demonstrate the sensitivity of the electrophysiological method and its use as a tool to monitor the progression of cerebellar injuries in longitudinal animal studies.
Highlights
The devastating consequences of severe head injuries are well known to the public
We propose a highly sensitive electrophysiological method as a tool to monitor the state of on-going cerebellar injury with repeated or continuous recordings of evoked potentials in anesthetized animals
The evoked potentials (EP) evoked by hand stimulation persisted around the same amplitudes immediately after injury but decreased substantially on the day
Summary
The devastating consequences of severe head injuries are well known to the public. It is known that undetected mild TBI can be a high risk factor for subsequent injuries and repeated mTBI, whether identified or not, leads to much more serious injuries[1]. A recent report showed functional and structural cerebellar deficits as a result of blast induced repeated mTBI where the entire brain was affected[11]. Scientific evidence is building up to suggest that mild head injuries, including concussions, can leave permanent damage in the brain especially if they reoccur before the person completely recovers from the first injury[21]. These mild injuries are difficult to study in experimental animals because the damage may not cause the brain cells to show any anatomical changes or complete degenerations, but rather slowing down of their communication with other cells. We propose a highly sensitive electrophysiological method as a tool to monitor the state of on-going cerebellar injury with repeated or continuous recordings of evoked potentials in anesthetized animals
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