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- Gutierrez, Elena M, 1973-
(author)
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A new model for diffuse brain injury by rotational acceleration: I model, gross appearance, and astrocytosis
- 2001
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In: Journal of Neurotrauma. - : Mary Ann Liebert Inc. - 0897-7151 .- 1557-9042. ; 18:3, s. 247-257
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Rapid head rotation is a major cause of brain damage in automobile crashes and falls. This report details a new model for rotational acceleration about the center of mass of the rabbit head. This allows the study of brain injury without translational acceleration of the head. Impact from a pneumatic cylinder was transferred to the skull surface to cause a half-sine peak acceleration of 2.1 × 105 rad/s2 and 0.96-ms pulse duration. Extensive subarachnoid hemorrhages and small focal bleedings were observed in the brain tissue. A pronounced reactive astrogliosis was found 8-14 days after trauma, both as networks around the focal hemorrhages and more diffusely in several brain regions. Astrocytosis was prominent in the gray matter of the cerebral cortex, layers II-V, and in the granule cell layer and around the axons of the pyramidal neurons in the hippocampus. The nuclei of cranial nerves, such as the hypoglossal and facial nerves, also showed intense astrocytosis. The new model allows study of brain injuries from head rotation in the absence of translational influences.
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- Gutierrez Farewik, Elena M, 1973-
(author)
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A new model for diffuse brain injury by rotational acceleration: II. Effects on extracellular glutamate, intracranial pressure, and neuronal apoptosis
- 2001
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In: Journal of Neurotrauma. - 0897-7151 .- 1557-9042. ; 18:3, s. 259-73
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The aim of this study is to monitor excitatory amino acids (EAAs) in the extracellular fluids of the brain and to characterize regional neuronaldamage in a new experimental model for brain injury, in which rabbits were exposed to 180-260 krad/s2 rotational head acceleration. This loading causes extensive subarachnoid hemorrhage, focal tissue bleeding, reactive astrocytosis, and axonal damage. Animals were monitored for intracranial pressure (ICP) and for amino acids in the extracellular fluids. Immunohistochemistry was used to study expression of the gene c-Jun and apoptosis with the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase nick-end labeling (TUNEL) technique. Extracellular glutamate, glycine, and taurine increased significantly in the hippocampus within a few hours and remained high after 24 h. Neuronal nuclei in the granule layers of the hippocampus and cerebellum were positive for c-Jun after 24 h. Little immunoreactivity was detected in the cerebral cortex. c-Jun-positive neuronal perikarya and processes were found in granule and pyramidal CA4 layers of the hippocampus and among the Purkinje cells of the cerebellum. Also some microglial cells stained positively for c-Jun. TUNEL reactivity was most intense at 10 days after trauma and was extensive in neurons of the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum. The initial response of the brain after rotationalhead injury involves brain edema after 24 h and an excitotoxic neuronal microenvironment in the first hour, which leads to extensive delayed neuronal cell death by apoptosis necrosis in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum.
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