Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 5, 2026
A Pediatric Concussion Model in Mice: Closed Head Injury with Long-Term Disorders (CHILD)
Published on: February 7, 2025
Assessment of an experimental rodent model of pediatric mild traumatic brain injury
Richelle Mychasiuk1, Allyson Farran, Michael J Esser
1Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary , Faculty of Medicine, Calgary, Alberta, Canada .
Insights
A modified weight-drop technique effectively models mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in juvenile rats, showing motor, balance, and executive function deficits. This provides a reliable animal model for pediatric brain injury research.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pediatric Traumatology
- Animal Modeling
Background:
- Childhood represents a high-risk period for mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) from various incidents.
- Lingering symptoms, or post-concussion syndrome, are common sequelae in children following closed head injuries.
- A clinically reliable animal model for pediatric mild brain injury is currently lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To validate a modified weight-drop technique for inducing mTBI/concussion in juvenile rats.
- To assess the behavioral outcomes following a single impact in a pediatric rat model.
Main Methods:
- Juvenile male and female rats (postnatal day 30) were subjected to either a single mTBI or a sham injury.
- A comprehensive behavioral test battery was administered, including beam walking, open field, novel context mismatch, Morris water task, forced swim task, and elevated plus maze.
Main Results:
- mTBI-exposed juvenile rats exhibited significant motor and balance impairments.
- Deficits in executive functioning were observed in tasks assessing cognitive flexibility and spatial memory.
- Both sexes displayed depression-like behaviors, while males showed reduced anxiety-like behaviors.
Conclusions:
- The modified weight-drop technique successfully induces a clinically relevant behavioral phenotype in juvenile rats.
- This method offers a potential animal model for studying pediatric mTBI/concussion.
- The model may facilitate the development of clinical therapeutic strategies for childhood brain injuries.
Abstract:
Childhood is one the highest risk periods for experiencing a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) from sports-related concussions, motor vehicle accidents, and falls. In addition, many children experience lingering symptomology (post-concussion syndrome) from these closed head injuries. Although the negative sequel of mTBI has been described, a clinically reliable animal model of mild pediatric brain injury has not. The purpose of this study was to examine the validity of a modified weight-drop technique as a model for the induction of mTBI/concussion in juvenile rats following a single impact. Male and female rats (P30) were exposed to a single mTBI or a sham injury followed by a behavioral test battery. Juvenile rats who experienced a single mTBI displayed significant motor/balance impairments when tested on the beam walking task and in the open field, as well as deficits of executive functioning as measured with the novel context mismatch task and the probe trial of the Morris water task. In addition, both male and female rats showed depression-like behavior in the forced swim task, with male rats also exhibiting decreased anxiety-related behaviors in the elevated plus maze. The results from this study suggest that the modified weight-drop technique induces a clinically relevant behavioral phenotype in juvenile rats, and may provide researchers with a reliable animal model of mTBI/concussion from which clinical therapeutic strategies could be developed.
