Enhanced attention in rats following blast-induced traumatic brain injury
Purpose: To evaluate visuo-cognitive sequelae following blast-induced traumatic brain injury in a rat model. Methods: Rats were randomly assigned to one of four groups depending on the intensity/quantity of a blast received in a blast chamber: sham (no blast), low intensity (22 psi), medium intensit...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Heliyon |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S240584402401692X |
| _version_ | 1797267835160887296 |
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| author | Victor M. Navarro Nickolas Boehme Edward A. Wasserman Matthew M. Harper |
| author_facet | Victor M. Navarro Nickolas Boehme Edward A. Wasserman Matthew M. Harper |
| author_sort | Victor M. Navarro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Purpose: To evaluate visuo-cognitive sequelae following blast-induced traumatic brain injury in a rat model. Methods: Rats were randomly assigned to one of four groups depending on the intensity/quantity of a blast received in a blast chamber: sham (no blast), low intensity (22 psi), medium intensity (26 psi), or three medium intensity blasts (26 psi × 3). After recovery, all subjects were given visual discrimination tasks of increasing complexity, until mastery. After behavioral training, visual function was assessed via spectral-domain optical coherence tomography and pattern electroretinogram, and the extent of retinal damage was quantified via immunohistochemistry of retinal ganglion cells. Results: None of the measures assessing visual function revealed significant differences as a function of blast intensity/quantity. Behavioral training did not disclose short-term effects of blast in general motivation or the development of anticipatory responding. No differences in general learning ability and the number of perseverative errors were observed. However, behavioral training found effects of blast in attentional function; relative to controls, subjects that received blasts were faster in learning to attend to informative (over non-informative) cues in the most difficult visual discrimination task. Conclusion: Blast exposure in rats resulted in increased attention following blast, with no appreciable deficits in visual function. These results are contrary to what is often reported for human clinical populations; as such, more research bridging methodological differences is necessary. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T00:23:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b66ac7b90d69420d988744c09e55ec46 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2405-8440 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-25T01:22:54Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heliyon |
| spelling | doaj.art-b66ac7b90d69420d988744c09e55ec462024-03-09T09:25:45ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402024-02-01104e25661Enhanced attention in rats following blast-induced traumatic brain injuryVictor M. Navarro0Nickolas Boehme1Edward A. Wasserman2Matthew M. Harper3Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom; The Iowa City Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Visual Loss, Iowa City, IA, United StatesThe Iowa City Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Visual Loss, Iowa City, IA, United States; Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United StatesDepartment of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United StatesThe Iowa City Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Visual Loss, Iowa City, IA, United States; Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States; Department of Biology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States; Corresponding author. The Iowa City Department of Veterans Affairs, The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Iowa, 601 Highway 6 West, Iowa City, IA, 52772, United States.Purpose: To evaluate visuo-cognitive sequelae following blast-induced traumatic brain injury in a rat model. Methods: Rats were randomly assigned to one of four groups depending on the intensity/quantity of a blast received in a blast chamber: sham (no blast), low intensity (22 psi), medium intensity (26 psi), or three medium intensity blasts (26 psi × 3). After recovery, all subjects were given visual discrimination tasks of increasing complexity, until mastery. After behavioral training, visual function was assessed via spectral-domain optical coherence tomography and pattern electroretinogram, and the extent of retinal damage was quantified via immunohistochemistry of retinal ganglion cells. Results: None of the measures assessing visual function revealed significant differences as a function of blast intensity/quantity. Behavioral training did not disclose short-term effects of blast in general motivation or the development of anticipatory responding. No differences in general learning ability and the number of perseverative errors were observed. However, behavioral training found effects of blast in attentional function; relative to controls, subjects that received blasts were faster in learning to attend to informative (over non-informative) cues in the most difficult visual discrimination task. Conclusion: Blast exposure in rats resulted in increased attention following blast, with no appreciable deficits in visual function. These results are contrary to what is often reported for human clinical populations; as such, more research bridging methodological differences is necessary.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S240584402401692XBlast-mediated TBIRatsVisual functionRetinaAttentionOperant conditioning |
| spellingShingle | Victor M. Navarro Nickolas Boehme Edward A. Wasserman Matthew M. Harper Enhanced attention in rats following blast-induced traumatic brain injury Heliyon Blast-mediated TBI Rats Visual function Retina Attention Operant conditioning |
| title | Enhanced attention in rats following blast-induced traumatic brain injury |
| title_full | Enhanced attention in rats following blast-induced traumatic brain injury |
| title_fullStr | Enhanced attention in rats following blast-induced traumatic brain injury |
| title_full_unstemmed | Enhanced attention in rats following blast-induced traumatic brain injury |
| title_short | Enhanced attention in rats following blast-induced traumatic brain injury |
| title_sort | enhanced attention in rats following blast induced traumatic brain injury |
| topic | Blast-mediated TBI Rats Visual function Retina Attention Operant conditioning |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S240584402401692X |
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