Leaston Joshua, Qiao Ju, Harding Ian C, Kulkarni Praveen, Gharagouzloo Codi, Ebong Eno, Ferris Craig F
Imaginostics, Inc., Cambridge, MA, United States.
Center for Translational Neuroimaging, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States.
Front Neurol. 2021 Sep 30;12:729464. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2021.729464. eCollection 2021.
This was an exploratory study designed to evaluate the feasibility of a recently established imaging modality, quantitative ultrashort time-to-echo contrast enhanced (QUTE-CE), to follow the early pathology and vulnerability of the blood brain barrier in response to single and repetitive mild head impacts. A closed-head, momentum exchange model was used to produce three consecutive mild head impacts aimed at the forebrain separated by 24 h each. Animals were measured at baseline and within 1 h of impact. Anatomical images were collected to assess the extent of structural damage. QUTE-CE biomarkers for BBB permeability were calculated on 420,000 voxels in the brain and were registered to a bilateral 3D brain atlas providing site-specific information on 118 anatomical regions. Blood brain barrier permeability was confirmed by extravasation of labeled dextran. All head impacts occurred in the absence of any structural brain damage. A single mild head impact had measurable effects on blood brain barrier permeability and was more significant after the second and third impacts. Affected regions included the prefrontal ctx, basal ganglia, hippocampus, amygdala, and brainstem. Our findings support the concerns raised by the healthcare community regarding mild head injuries in participants in organized contact sports and military personnel in basic training and combat.
这是一项探索性研究，旨在评估一种最近建立的成像模式——定量超短回波时间对比增强（QUTE-CE），以追踪血脑屏障在单次和重复性轻度头部撞击后的早期病理变化和脆弱性。使用闭合性头部动量交换模型对前脑进行连续三次轻度头部撞击，每次撞击间隔24小时。在基线和撞击后1小时内对动物进行测量。收集解剖图像以评估结构损伤的程度。在大脑中的420,000个体素上计算血脑屏障通透性的QUTE-CE生物标志物，并将其注册到双侧三维脑图谱上，该图谱提供了118个解剖区域的位点特异性信息。通过标记葡聚糖的外渗来确认血脑屏障的通透性。所有头部撞击均在无任何脑结构损伤的情况下发生。单次轻度头部撞击对血脑屏障通透性有可测量的影响，在第二次和第三次撞击后更为显著。受影响的区域包括前额叶皮层、基底神经节、海马体、杏仁核和脑干。我们的研究结果支持了医疗界对参加有组织的接触性运动的参与者以及基础训练和战斗中的军事人员轻度头部损伤所提出的担忧。
