Effects of Exposure to Blast Overpressure on Intracranial Pressure and Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability in a Rat Model

PLoS One. 2016 Dec 1;11(12):e0167510. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0167510. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Exposure to blast overpressure (BOP) activates a cascade of pathological processes including changes in intracranial pressure (ICP) and blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability resulting in traumatic brain injury (TBI). In this study the effect of single and multiple exposures at two intensities of BOP on changes in ICP and BBB permeability in Sprague-Dawley rats was evaluated. Animals were exposed to a single or three repetitive (separated by 0.5 h) BOPs at 72 kPa or 110 kPa. ICP was monitored continuously via telemetry for 6 days after exposure to BOP. The alteration in the permeability of BBB was determined by extravasation of Evans Blue (EB) into brain parenchyma. A significant increase in ICP was observed in all groups except the single 72 kPa BOP group. At the same time a marked increase in BBB permeability was also seen in various parts of the brain. The extent of ICP increase as well as BBB permeability change was dependent on intensity and frequency of blast.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blast Injuries / metabolism*
  • Blast Injuries / physiopathology*
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / metabolism*
  • Brain Injuries / metabolism*
  • Brain Injuries / pathology
  • Brain Injuries / physiopathology*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Explosions
  • Fluorescent Dyes / metabolism
  • Intracranial Pressure*
  • Male
  • Permeability
  • Rats
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Fluorescent Dyes

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Office of Naval Research (ONR) Work Unit 601152N.0000.000.A1308. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.