Modeling traumatic brain injury using a compressed-gas blast chamber

Blast-induced neurotrauma (BINT) is a common injury modality associated with the current war efforts and increasing levels of terrorist activity. Exposure to the primary blast wave generated by explosive devices causes significant neurological deficits and is responsible for many of the war related pathologies. Despite research efforts, the mechanism of injury is still poorly understood. To this end, we have developed a pressure-driven blast wave generator to analyze the effects of mild blast exposure (500 kilopascals) on rats. This study provides novel evidence linking blast exposure to cellular degeneration in cortical tissue in the absence of functional behavioral deficits. This evidence of degeneration alongside visible hemorrhaging emphasizes the susceptibility of the central nervous system to impulse-like pressure wave insults. Furthermore, such study also highlighted the importance of diagnosing mild brain trauma to recognize, confirm, and treat such conditions in a timely fashion to prevent more severe injury over the time.