Repeated Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Causes Chronic Neuroinflammation, Changes in Hippocampal Synaptic Plasticity, and Associated Cognitive Deficits

Overview

Journal J Cereb Blood Flow Metab

Publisher Sage Publications

Specialties Cardiology & Vascular Diseases
Endocrinology
Neurology

Date 2014 Apr 24

PMID 24756076

Citations 122

Authors

Stephanie L Aungst

Shruti V Kabadi

Scott M Thompson

Bogdan A Stoica

Alan I Faden

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Repeated mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) can cause sustained cognitive and psychiatric changes, as well as neurodegeneration, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We examined histologic, neurophysiological, and cognitive changes after single or repeated (three injuries) mTBI using the rat lateral fluid percussion (LFP) model. Repeated mTBI caused substantial neuronal cell loss and significantly increased numbers of activated microglia in both ipsilateral and contralateral hippocampus on post-injury day (PID) 28. Long-term potentiation (LTP) could not be induced on PID 28 after repeated mTBI in ex vivo hippocampal slices from either hemisphere. N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-mediated responses were significantly attenuated after repeated mTBI, with no significant changes in α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptor-mediated responses. Long-term potentiation was elicited in slices after single mTBI, with potentiation significantly increased in ipsilateral versus contralateral hippocampus. After repeated mTBI, rats displayed cognitive impairments in the Morris water maze (MWM) and novel object recognition (NOR) tests. Thus, repeated mTBI causes deficits in the hippocampal function and changes in excitatory synaptic neurotransmission, which are associated with chronic neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration.

Citing Articles

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The Role of Neuroinflammation in Shaping Neuroplasticity and Recovery Outcomes Following Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review.

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