Open AccessConcussive brain injury from explosive blast
Author(s) -
Lanerolle Nihal C.,
Hamid Hamada,
Kulas Joseph,
Pan Jullie W.,
Czlapinski Rebecca,
Rinaldi Anthony,
Ling Geoffrey,
Bandak Faris A.,
Hetherington Hoby P.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
annals of clinical and translational neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.824
H-Index - 42
ISSN - 2328-9503
DOI - 10.1002/acn3.98
Subject(s) - medicine , explosive material , blast injury , poison control , injury prevention , concussion , medical emergency , chemistry , organic chemistry
Objective Explosive blast mild traumatic brain injury ( mTBI ) is associated with a variety of symptoms including memory impairment and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Explosive shock waves can cause hippocampal injury in a large animal model. We recently reported a method for detecting brain injury in soldiers with explosive blast mTBI using magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI). This method is applied in the study of veterans exposed to blast. Methods The hippocampus of 25 veterans with explosive blast mTBI , 20 controls, and 12 subjects with PTSD but without exposure to explosive blast were studied using MRSI at 7 Tesla. Psychiatric and cognitive assessments were administered to characterize the neuropsychiatric deficits and compare with findings from MRSI. Results Significant reductions in the ratio of N ‐acetyl aspartate to choline (NAA/Ch) and N ‐acetyl aspartate to creatine (NAA/Cr) ( P < 0.05) were found in the anterior portions of the hippocampus with explosive blast mTBI in comparison to control subjects and were more pronounced in the right hippocampus, which was 15% smaller in volume ( P < 0.05). Decreased NAA/Ch and NAA/Cr were not influenced by comorbidities – PTSD, depression, or anxiety. Subjects with PTSD without blast had lesser injury, which tended to be in the posterior hippocampus. Explosive blast mTBI subjects had a reduction in visual memory compared to PTSD without blast. Interpretation The region of the hippocampus injured differentiates explosive blast mTBI from PTSD. MRSI is quite sensitive in detecting and localizing regions of neuronal injury from explosive blast associated with memory impairment.