preview

Traumatic Brain Injury is Third-Leading Cause of Death and Disability

Decent Essays

Introduction: At least, 2.4 million traumatic brain injury (TBI) related hospital visit each year in USA and WHO predicting that TBI will be the third leading cause of death and disability worldwide by 2020 (Hyder, Wunderlich et al. 2007, Centers for Disease and Prevention 2013). Approximately one percent Americans older than 60 years old are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD)(Gazewood, Richards et al. 2013). Millions of them have to adapt to the extensive long-term disability, but its impact does not end there. They often have to depend on other people’s continuous support to survive that significantly impacts our healthcare burden (Stacey L. Kowal 2013). A new meta-analysis and other recent studies provide support for the …show more content…

2013). There are no studies that have determined the role of α-Syn protein accumulation on the behavioral and pathological effects of TBI in α-syn transgenic mice. Our group recently reported that TBI precipitates AD-pathology and cognitive deficits in transgenic 3xTg-AD mice (Tajiri, Kellogg et al. 2013). In this study we examine motor recovery and a detail time course of the development of Parkinson’s-like pathology in α-Syn transgenic mice brain after inducing moderate TBI. Thirty-six adult (9 mo) mice (18 transgenic and 18 non-transgenic controls) will be use for this study. Animals will be subjected to moderate TBI using controlled cortical impact (CCI) model. Prior to TBI and at 2, 4, and 8 weeks post-TBI a battery of motor behavioral and cognitive testing will be performed. Moreover, at each indicated time point ( 2, 4, and 8 weeks post-TBI) 6 animal per group will be euthanized and their brain will be harvested for direct quantitative and qualitative analysis of α-Syn protein expression in the cortex, hippocampus, striatum and substantia nigra. Background and Significance: Although controversy exists in the literature about the association between TBI and PD (Rugbjerg, Ritz et al. 2008, Spangenberg, Hannerz et al. 2009), the majority epidemiological studies over the years have

Get Access