Purpose: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) leads to important and deleterious neuroinflammation, as evidenced by edema, cytokine production, induction of nitric oxide synthase, and leukocyte infiltration. Strategies that block inflammatory and oxidative mediators have been shown to induce neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects after brain injury. After TBI, cerebral vascular endothelial cells play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of inflammation. In this study, we hypothesized that cerebral vascular endothelial cells play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of inflammation after TBI and, in conjunction with leukocytes, represent a key cellular target for statin therapy. We investigated the effect of acute and continuous treatment of simvastatin on behavior and inflammation in adult rats following experimental TBI. Materials and Methods: Cortical contusions were induced using a device adapted from the impact method. There were 3 groups: (1) sham group, craniotomy only; (2) control group, TBI without treatment; and (3) treatment group, TBI with simvastatin administration. The treatment group received 15 mg/kg of simvastatin daily for 3 days. Neurological function was assessed with the grip test (Grip strength meter, Singa). Results: Non-treatment control group had a significantly greater increase in ICAM-1 expression from pre-injury to the post-injury 72 h time point, compared to the simvastatin treatment group. The treatment group had a significantly smaller amount of reduction in successful trials in grip test than the control group did from baseline to 72 h. The analysis of western blot and pathological study also demonstrated similar results. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that continuous administration of simvastatin after injury attenuates the cerebral vascular endothelial inflammatory response and improves functional and histological outcomes in a rat model of TBI. This improvement is associated with a reduction in expression of ICAM-1 in the blood and brain after rat TBI when compared with the untreated control group. Hence, we recommend simvastatin administration in the first 72 h following TBI.

The present study investigates the effects of cognitive inhibitory mechanisms and tendency to suppress thoughts on the frequency and intensity of traumatic intrusions within the trauma film paradigm. Non clinical participants&rsquo / response inhibition and proactive inhibition levels and tendency to suppress thoughts were measured prior to exposure to a trauma film. One week after seeing the trauma film, participants reported the frequency and intensity of trauma film related intrusions with an intrusion diary and Impact of Events Scale. No significant effect of response inhibition, proactive inhibition and thought suppression tendency was found on the frequency and intensity of trauma film related intrusions. Findings of the study are discussed.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major health and socioeconomic concern in the United States and across the globe. Experimental models of TBI are used to study the mechanisms underlying cell dysfunction and death that result from injury, the functional deficits that result from injury, and the potential of various therapies to treat injury. This thesis explores the fundamental mechanical damage associated with brain trauma, investigating the effects of mechanical deformation on neurons at the molecular, cellular, tissue, and animal levels. First, a novel hydrogel system was developed to support 3-D neuronal cultures, and the cultures were studied in an in vitro model of neuronal injury. The dependence of cell viability on hydrogel stiffness and extracellular matrix ligand concentration revealed a role for molecular interactions in the cellular response to injury. Subsequently, in a rat model of TBI neuronal plasma membrane damage was observed coincidentally with cell death within the hippocampus; however not all permeable cells died, suggesting a complex role for plasma membrane damage in neuronal degeneration. The spatial profile of permeable cells in the hippocampus reveals further heterogeneity of neuronal plasma membrane damage, with populations of cells in certain hippocampal subregions exhibiting an increased vulnerability to plasma membrane damage. These observations support recent finite element model predictions of strains in the brain during injury. Finally a system for measuring locomotor disturbances is used for the first time following brain injury. Continued investigation of how neurons deform and fail mechanically will contribute to the understanding of the pathophysiology of brain injury and may help identify potential therapeutic targets.

Biomarker research is of great interest in the field of traumatic brain injury (TBI), since there are numerous potential markers that may indicate central nervous system damage, yet the brain is normally well isolated and discovery is at its infancy. Traditional methods for biomarker discovery include time consuming multi step chromatographic mass spectrometery (MS) techniques or pre-defined serial probing using traditional assays, making the identification of biomarker panels limiting and expensive. These shortfalls have motivated the development of a MS based probe that can be embedded into 3D neural cultures and obtain temporal and spatial information about the release of biomarkers. Using the high sensitivity MS ionization method of nano-electrospray ionization (nano-ESI) with an in-line microdialysis (MD) unit allows us to use MS to analyze low concentrations of TBI biomarkers from within cell cultures with no need for off-line sample manipulation. This thesis goes through the development of the probe by studying the theoretical principles, simulations and experimental results of the probe's capability to sample small local concentrations of a marker within cell culture matrix, the MD unit's sample manipulation capabilities, and the ability to detect markers using in-line MD-nano-ESI MS.

<p>This essay discusses the perceived case of post-traumatic stress disorder in Leslie Marmon Silko's character Tayo from the novel Ceremony, using personal accounts of actual PTSD-suffering war veterans as a point of reference. The goal is to fathom the influence that culture may have in the development and healing of PTSD, and to identify possible trans-cultural aspects. The main focus of the analysis is therefore on personal background, interpersonal relationships, post-war experiences, and experienced symptoms.</p>

Fragestellung: Gegenstand dieser Untersuchung ist der diagnostische Nutzen der Neuro-Biomarker S100B-Protein und Neuronenspezifische Enolase (NSE) bei leichten Schädel-Hirn-Verletzungen im Kindesalter. Es wird untersucht, ob anhand der posttraumatischen S100B- und NSE-Serum-Konzentrationen Kinder mit einer Schädelprellung und einem leichten Schädel-Hirn-Trauma (SHT) differenziert werden können. Material und Methode: In einer prospektiven, klinischen Studie werden die posttraumatischen S100B- und NSE-Serum-Konzentrationen von Kindern im Alter zwischen 6 Monaten und 15 Jahren mit einer Schädelprellung oder einem leichten SHT untersucht. Kinder mit extrakraniellen Begleitverletzungen und Begleiterkrankungen sind ausgeschlossen. Die Blutentnahme erfolgt innerhalb von 6 Stunden nach dem Trauma. Es werden 2 diagnostische Gruppen definiert: Gruppe 1: asymptomatische Schädelprellungen (Glasgow-Coma-Scale [GCS] 15 Punkte), Gruppe 2: leichte SHT (GCS 13-15 Punkte) mit klinischen Zeichen einer Gehirnerschütterung (kurze Bewusstlosigkeit, Amnesie, Übelkeit, Erbrechen, Somnolenz, Kopfschmerzen, Schwindel, Sehstörungen, Kreislaufreaktion). Die S100B- und NSE- Konzentrationen werden zwischen beiden Diagnosegruppen verglichen. Die Korrelation zwischen S100B und NSE sowie zwischen den Markern und dem Alter der Kinder, dem Zeitraum zwischen Trauma und Blutentnahme, dem GCS-Wert und dem Vorhandensein von Kopfplatzwunden wird analysiert. Ergebnisse: 148 Kinder sind in die Studie eingeschlossen (53 Kinder mit einer Schädelprellung und 95 mit einem leichten SHT). Nach Adjustierung der gemessenen Marker-Konzentrationen auf Unterschiede im Alter und Zeitraum zwischen Trauma und Blutentnahme unterscheiden sich die S100B- und NSE-Konzentrationen nicht signifikant zwischen Kindern mit einer Schädelprellung und einem leichten SHT. Zwischen den S100B- und NSE-Konzentrationen besteht eine signifikant positive Korrelation. Beide Marker korrelieren signifikant negativ mit dem Alter und dem Entnahmezeitraum. Der GCS-Wert und das Vorhandensein von Kopfplatzwunden zeigen keinen Effekt auf die Marker-Konzentrationen. Schlussfolgerung: Die posttraumatischen S100B- und NSE-Serum-Konzentrationen zeigen keinen diagnostischen Nutzen bei der Differenzierung zwischen Kindern mit einer Schädelprellung und Kindern mit einem leichten SHT. S100B und NSE sind altersabhängige Marker.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2000. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 133-143). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (D. Min.)--Denver Seminary, 2008. / Includes text of Critical incident stress management (CISM): grief following trauma, 1st ed., by Kevin L. Ellers, Nancy Rikli and H. Norman Wright, c2006. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 385-389, 402-431).

Thesis (D.Psych.)--Murdoch University, 2009. / Thesis submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 172-203)

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2001. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 86-96). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.