Memory impairment after mild traumatic brain injury in adult mice: To remember or not to remember.

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Emily Shalosky
Nathan Evanson

Abstract

By Emily Shalosky, Biology


Advisor: Nathan Evanson


Presentation ID: PM_B25


Abstract: Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) affects 2.8 million people a year (Taylor et al. 2017). A common and devastating consequence of TBI includes memory impairment and the inability to store new information and such deficits can greatly reduce the quality of life depending on the severity of each case (Sandry et al., 2014). The current study was undertaken in order to test memory and histological damage in adult mice after mild TBI. 9-week old adult male C57BL/6J mice were subjected to TBI using a closed head weight drop model. Histological tests were used to detect neurodegeneration, gliosis, and microglial neuroinflammation up to 7 days post injury. Behavioral tests of locomotion, through open field testing, and memory, through novel object recognition (NOR), were also conducted up to one month after injury. Locomotor analysis revealed a significant main effect of day on center time (F1,55 =24.79, p<0.001) with more comfort in the center over time. NOR results showed no memory impairments in adult mice, contrary to previous literature and to adolescent findings in this model. Further, histological analyses revealed no signs of neurodegeneration, inflammation, or gliosis in the hippocampus. Our results in adult mice contrast with results from previous studies (Lyons et. al., 2018) and warrant further study as this model may be more apt for studying other impairments following TBI but not memory deficits.


 

Article Details

Section
PM Poster Session -- Great Hall -- B: Health & Body