[Autoradiographic investigations in repeated experimental brain concussion (author's transl)]

Single brain concussion in rabbits causes an increased proliferation of glial and mesenchymal cells. Repeated experimental concussions in rabbits (3 times at intervals of 24 h) led to an increased incorporation of H3-thymidine in glial and mesenchymal cells with a maximum at 48 h after the third concussion. This is interpreted as an indication of increased cell proliferation. The first and the second concussion did not cause a comparable reaction, thus suggesting that concussions may inhibit DNA synthesis under the conditions of our experimental setup. When the concussions were induced at an interval of 48 h the result was different: 48 h after each concussion we found an increase of labeled cells compared with the controls. After the second concussion the reaction was still more enhanced compared with the reaction following the first concussion. In contrast to this the number of labeled cells after the third concussion was significantly decreased compared with those after the second one. Parallels with pugilistic encephalopathy are discussed.