Maintenance of normal behavior after mild concussive brain injury in mice: modeling human psychological health after concussion

Modeling Concussive Brain Injury (CBI) in laboratory mice affords opportunities to study mechanisms of neural compromise, genetic influences on behavioral recovery, and interventional therapeutics. This abstract reports the effects of mild CBI in mice on behavioral measures that attempt to model psychological and psychosocial behaviors in humans. CBI was induced in young adult male C57BL6 mice under light isoflurane anesthesia using a 30 g piston, a 78 cm guide tube with the end positioned on the skull surface and impact velocity of 3.8 m/sec. Comparisons between groups on latency to righting reflex and open filed ambulation indicated an acute effect of CBI (p<0.05). However, periodic behavioral testing through one‐month post CBI revealed no long‐term changes in: propensity for social interaction, working memory and cognitive flexibility (Y‐maze), sensorimotor integration (ambulatory foot faults on an elevated grid), or anxiety (light/dark box; all tests, p>0.05). Perhaps similar to psychological stability that is usually seen after mild concussion in humans, mice subjected to mild CBI also exhibit longer‐term behavioral recovery/stability. This work provides a baseline and foundation to study mechanisms of neuronal dysfunction as well as therapeutic interventions that target prevention of behavioral decline after increasingly severe CBI. Supported by SIU School of Medicine. Grant Funding Source : School of Medicine