Grant: Catalyst Grant - Mild Traumatic Brain Injury - Blast-Induced

Impaired executive function, balance and coordination are among most frequent clinical symptoms in soldiers and veterans with the history of blast exposure(s). We hypothesize that the blast exposure scenarios seen in-theater induce: 1) damage of the cerebellum, which in turn contributes to the development of related long-term neurological deficits including balance and memory problems, and behavioral impairment; 2) the position of the body and the extent of the response from other organs to blast exposure(s) significantly influence the intensity of blast-induced brain damage and neurological deficits; and 3) blood biomarkers will reflect the progress and intensity of the brain damage. We will use mice exposed either to one mild intensity blast or to a paradigm of repeated blasts in a laboratory setting that mimics in-theater conditions. Neurological functions (motor, cognitive, and behavioural); brain and whole-body microscopy; and serum biomarkers will be measured throughout a 6-month post-injury period. The length of this follow-up period in mouse life is comparable with approximately 5 years of human life. A model capable of identifying a link between cerebellar damage and chronic blast-induced neurological and behavioral deficits would be of great importance for soldiers' and veterans' rehabilitation by supporting the development of new diagnostic tools and treatments. Reliable and sensitive biomarkers readily measurable in blood that would reflect blast-induced impairments in the brain would be invaluable in identifying individuals at risk of mental health impairments and chronic neurological deficits; this would enable timely interventions and pre-emptive rehabilitation approaches.