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Controlled Cortical Impact Model for Traumatic Brain Injury
Published on: August 5, 2014
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Traumatic brain injury: The first 15 milliseconds
1a Accident Compensation Corporation of New Zealand , Wellington , New Zealand.
Brain Injury
|September 24, 2016
Summary
Traumatic brain injury involves shock waves and accelerations causing widespread neural damage. These physical forces lead to scattered brain injuries and characteristic white matter damage due to inertia.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Neuroscience
- Computational modeling
Background:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI) involves complex physical events.
- Understanding the initial milliseconds of TBI is crucial for pathology.
Purpose of the Study:
- Review physical events in the first 15 milliseconds of TBI.
- Apply computer simulations to observed TBI pathology.
Main Methods:
- Finite element analysis computer simulations.
- Modeling of shock wave propagation and reflection within the brain and skull.
- Analysis of anteroposterior and rotary accelerations and their inertial effects.
Main Results:
- Impact generates two distinct shock waves (brain and skull) causing separate injuries.
- Shock wave reflections create pressure nodes, with negative pressure being particularly damaging to neurons and blood vessels.
- Acceleration/deceleration forces lead to tissue strain and characteristic white matter injuries.
Conclusions:
- Anteroposterior acceleration and inertia cause stretching and tearing of neural tracts and blood vessels.
- Rotatory accelerations induce stress on inter-hemispheric connections, notably the corpus callosum.
