Cerebral concussion in the monkey: an experimental model.

A statistically significant experimental model has been developed for reproducing head injury by impact in the monkey. Results with 80 monkeys subjected to occipital impact under specified conditions ( duration of phenomena, 1 to 10 milliseconds) enable the construction of curves relating the production of experimental cerebral concussion in 10, 50, and 90 percent of the monkeys to the average impulse of the blow in pounds-seconds, as well as to the average linear acceleration of the head. These curves are proposed as a baseline from which blows to various parts of the head, as well as nonimpacting impulsive loads, can be studied under various conditions of protection and according to varioucs time regimes.