Mechanical properties of brain tissue by indentation: interregional variation.

Although many studies on the mechanical properties of brain tissue exist, some controversy concerning the possible differences in mechanical properties of white and gray matter tissues remains. Indentation experiments are conducted on white and gray matter tissues of various regions of the cerebrum and on tissue from the thalamus and the midbrain to study interregional differences. An advantage of indentation, when compared to standard rheological tests as often used for the characterization of brain tissue, is that it is a local test, requiring only a small volume of tissue to be homogeneous.

Characterisation of the mechanical behaviour of brain tissue in compression and shear.

No validated, generally accepted data set on the mechanical properties of brain tissue exists, not even for small strains. Most of the experimental and methodological issues have previously been addressed for linear shear loading. The objective of this work was to obtain a consistent data set for the mechanical response of brain tissue to either compression or shear.

Optical characterization of acceleration-induced strain fields in inhomogeneous brain slices.

The aim of this study was to measure high-resolution strain fields in planar sections of brain tissue during translational acceleration to obtain validation data for numerical simulations. Slices were made from fresh, porcine brain tissue, and contained both grey and white matter as well as the complex folding structure of the cortex. The brain slices were immersed in artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) and were encapsulated in a rigid cavity representing the actual shape of the skull.

The influence of test conditions on characterization of the mechanical properties of brain tissue.

To understand brain injuries better, the mechanical properties of brain tissue have been studied for 50 years; however, no universally accepted data set exists. The variation in material properties reported may be caused by differences in testing methods and protocols used. An overview of studies on the mechanical properties of brain tissue is given, focusing on testing methods.

Towards a reliable characterisation of the mechanical behaviour of brain tissue: The effects of post-mortem time and sample preparation.

Since the early seventies, the material properties of brain tissue have been studied using a variety of testing techniques. However, data reported in literature show large discrepancies even in the linear viscoelastic regime. In the current study, the effect of the sample preparation procedure and of post-mortem time on the mechanical response of porcine brain tissue is examined.

The mechanical behaviour of brain tissue: large strain response and constitutive modelling.

The non-linear mechanical behaviour of porcine brain tissue in large shear deformations is determined. An improved method for rotational shear experiments is used, producing an approximately homogeneous strain field and leading to an enhanced accuracy. Results from oscillatory shear experiments with a strain amplitude of 0.