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Updated: May 7, 2026
A Mouse Model of Single and Repetitive Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Published on: June 20, 2017
Juvenile traumatic brain injury evolves into a chronic brain disorder: behavioral and histological changes over
Joel E Kamper1, Viorela Pop, Andrew M Fukuda
1Department of Psychology, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA.
Insights
Juvenile traumatic brain injury (jTBI) in rats causes lasting sensorimotor and spatial memory deficits. These long-term effects, including brain structure changes, highlight jTBI as a chronic brain disorder.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Traumatic Brain Injury Research
Background:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI) in children can cause severe, long-term functional impairments.
- Few studies have empirically assessed the long-term behavioral and histological effects of juvenile TBI (jTBI).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the long-term behavioral and histological consequences of jTBI in a rat model.
- To assess the evolving nature of jTBI effects over time.
Main Methods:
- Controlled cortical impact was applied to postnatal 17-day-old rats.
- Behavioral tests included open field, zero maze, rotarod, and water maze at 3, 5, and 6 months post-injury.
- Magnetic resonance imaging and histology were used to evaluate brain changes.
Main Results:
- jTBI resulted in persistent sensorimotor impairments up to 6 months post-injury.
- Spatial memory deficits were observed starting at 3 months, though spatial learning remained intact.
- Evolving histological changes included reduced cortical thickness, decreased corpus callosum area, and CA1 neuronal cell death distant from the impact site.
Conclusions:
- This jTBI model produces long-term impairments comparable to clinical observations.
- The evolving nature of deficits and lesion properties suggest jTBI leads to a chronic brain disorder with lasting complications.
Abstract:
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) refers to physical trauma to the brain that can lead to motor and cognitive dysfunctions. TBI is particularly serious in infants and young children, often leading to long-term functional impairments. Although clinical research is useful for quantifying and observing the effects of these injuries, few studies have empirically assessed the long-term effects of juvenile TBI (jTBI) on behavior and histology. After a controlled cortical impact delivered to postnatal 17day old rats, functional abilities were measured after 3, 5, and 6months using open field (activity levels), zero maze (anxiety-like behaviors), rotarod (sensorimotor abilities, coordination, and balance), and water maze (spatial learning and memory, swim speed, turn bias). Sensorimotor function was impaired for up to 6months in jTBI animals, which showed no improvement from repeated test exposure. Although spatial learning was not impaired, spatial memory deficits were observed in jTBI animals starting at 3months after injury. Magnetic resonance imaging and histological data revealed that the effects of jTBI were evolving for up to 6months post-injury, with reduced cortical thickness, decreased corpus callosum area and CA1 neuronal cell death in jTBI animals distant to the impact site. These findings suggest that this model of jTBI produces long-term impairments comparable to those reported clinically. Although some deficits were stable over time, the variable nature of other deficits (e.g., memory) as well as changing properties of the lesion itself, suggest that the effects of a single jTBI produce a chronic brain disorder with long-term complications.
