Neuropathology of Explosive Blast Traumatic Brain Injury

Overview

Journal Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep

Specialty Neurology

Date 2012 Jul 28

PMID 22836523

Citations 54

Authors

John Magnuson

Fabio Leonessa

Geoffrey S F Ling

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

During the conflicts of the Global War on Terror, which are Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), there have been over a quarter of a million diagnosed cases of traumatic brain injury (TBI). The vast majority are due to explosive blast. Although explosive blast TBI (bTBI) shares many clinical features with closed head TBI (cTBI) and penetrating TBI (pTBI), it has unique features, such as early cerebral edema and prolonged cerebral vasospasm. Evolving work suggests that diffuse axonal injury (DAI) seen following explosive blast exposure is different than DAI from focal impact injury. These unique features support the notion that bTBI is a separate and distinct form of TBI. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge pertaining to bTBI. Areas of discussion are: the physics of explosive blast generation, blast wave interaction with the bony calvarium and brain tissue, gross tissue pathophysiology, regional brain injury, and cellular and molecular mechanisms of explosive blast neurotrauma.

Citing Articles

EEG hyperexcitability and hyperconnectivity linked to GABAergic inhibitory interneuron loss following traumatic brain injury.

May H, Tsikonofilos K, Donat C, Sastre M, Kozlov A, Sharp D Brain Commun. 2024; 6(6):fcae385.

PMID: 39605970 PMC: 11600960. DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcae385.

The Effect of Traumatic Brain Injury on Memory.

Abdul Razak L, Denis T, Murugiah Y, Yoong W, Idris Z, Senik M Malays J Med Sci. 2024; 31(3):52-74.

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Sphingolipid changes in mouse brain and plasma after mild traumatic brain injury at the acute phases.

Mondal K, Del Mar N, Gary A, Grambergs R, Yousuf M, Tahia F Lipids Health Dis. 2024; 23(1):200.

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Twenty Years of Blast-Induced Neurotrauma: Current State of Knowledge.

Sachdeva T, Ganpule S Neurotrauma Rep. 2024; 5(1):243-253.

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Persistent MRI Findings Unique to Blast and Repetitive Mild TBI: Analysis of the CENC/LIMBIC Cohort Injury Characteristics.

Tate D, Wade B, Velez C, Bigler E, Davenport N, Dennis E Mil Med. 2024; 189(9-10):e1938-e1946.

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