Approachability and Sensory Changes Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Pigs.

Background/objectives: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a global healthcare concern affecting millions, with wide-ranging symptoms including sensory and behavioral changes that can persist long-term. Due to similarities with human brain cytoarchitecture and inflammation, minipig models are advantageous for translational TBI research. However, gaps in knowledge exist regarding their behavioral and sensory sequelae following injury.

Microglial process convergence onto injured axonal swellings, a human postmortem brain tissue study.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects millions globally, with a majority of TBI cases being classified as mild, in which diffuse pathologies prevail. Two of the pathological hallmarks of TBI are diffuse axonal injury (DAI) and microglial activation. While progress has been made investigating the breadth of TBI-induced axonal injury and microglial changes in rodents, the neuroinflammatory progression and interaction between microglia and injured axons in humans is less well understood.

Microglial process convergence onto injured axonal swellings, a human postmortem brain tissue study.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects millions globally, with a majority of TBI cases being classified as mild, in which diffuse pathologies prevail. Two of the pathological hallmarks of TBI are diffuse axonal injury and microglial activation. While progress has been made investigating the breadth of TBI-induced axonal injury and microglial changes in rodents, the neuroinflammatory progression and interaction between microglia and injured axons following brain injury in humans is less well understood.

The Effects of Cathepsin B Inhibition in the Face of Diffuse Traumatic Brain Injury and Secondary Intracranial Pressure Elevation.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects millions of people each year. Previous studies using the central fluid percussion injury (CFPI) model in adult male rats indicated that elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) was associated with long-term effects, including neuronal cell loss and increased sensory sensitivity post-injury and secondary ICP elevation, which were not seen following injury alone. Investigations also indicated that cathepsin B (Cath B), a lysosomal cysteine protease, may play a role in the pathological progression of neuronal membrane disruption; however, the specific impact of Cath B inhibition following CFPI remained unknown.