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Updated: Feb 12, 2026

Assessing Changes in Synaptic Plasticity Using an Awake Closed-Head Injury Model of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Published on: January 20, 2023
Assessment of polyurethane spheres as surrogates for military ballistic head injury
Peter Mahoney1,2, Debra Carr3, Nicholas Hunt4
1Centre for Defence Engineering, Cranfield University at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, SN6 8LA, Shrivenham, UK. p.f.mahoney@cranfield.ac.uk.
Abstract:
SYNBONE® spheres were impacted with 7.62 × 39 mm mild steel core ammunition at a mean impact velocity of 654 m/s, SD 7 m/s, to simulate engagement distances of around 50-100 m. The wounds and fracture patterns were assessed by two forensic pathologists familiar with military cranial injury. The overall fracture pattern was assessed as being too comminuted when compared with actual injury. This suggests the SYNBONE® spheres have less utility for simulating military injury than other purposes described in the literature.
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