Abstract #1214

Characterization of white matter changes in a mouse model of mild blast traumatic brain injury

Sujith Sajja¹, Jiangyang Zhang¹, Jeff W.M. Bulte¹, Robert Stevens², Joseph Long³, Piotr Walczak^1,4, and Miroslaw Janowski^1,5

¹The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States, ²Departments of Anesthesiology/Critical Care Medicine, Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Radiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States, ³Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States, ⁴Department of Radiology, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland, ⁵NeuroRepair Department, Mossakowski Medical Research Centre PAS, Warsaw, Poland

White matter abnormalities in veterans with behavioral symptoms following blast exposure have been detected with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) without changes in T1/T2-weighted anatomical MRI. Our aim was to reproduce the battlefield scenario in a mouse model. We observed no focal anatomical changes, while diffuse white matter abnormalities were observed with DTI, and CEST MRI. They coincided with behavioral abnormalities and post-mortem neuropathological changes. The use of MRI may facilitate non-invasive and longitudinal monitoring of blast injury, and aid in developing therapeutics aimed to minimize further damage progression.

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