Rodent Model of Primary Blast-Induced Traumatic Brain Injury: Guidelines to Blast Methodology

Abstract

Neuropsychological symptoms in warfighters after exposures to blast have triggered considerable research interest in the pathophysiological manifestations of blast-induced traumatic brain injury (bTBI). Preclinical research models of blast are attractive tools to understand the prognosis of behavioral changes, identify relevant biomarkers and characterize the neurobiological underpinnings of blast injury. However, the lack of standardization among preclinical bTBI studies has led to numerous inconsistencies in the data. Inadequate characterization of blast simulators, incomplete understanding and interpretation of blast physics, improper use of animal restraining techniques, and misapplication of biomechanical loading conditions in animal research have led to laboratory results that all-too-often bear little resemblance and relevance to injuries sustained by warfighters. Another major challenge for the bTBI research community is inadequate reporting of methodological conditions such as total pressure, static pressure, positive pressure duration, negative pressure duration, and impulse, to name a few, which has also contributed to ambiguous and sometimes conflicting research outcomes. This report focuses on the requirements for standardization of rodent experimental blast exposure conditions, blast simulator characterization, and guidelines on the dissemination of blast injury research methodology.