OBJECTIVE: To observed the pathological changes of closed diffuse brain injury in the rats died immediately and 15 min to 5 days after the injury. METHODS: H.E. staind and esterification-silver stain were applied to investigate the closed diffuse brain injury. RESULTS: In rats died immediately after the concussive injury, a number of shrunken neurons(type I change), distended neurons(type II change) and wave-like nerve fibers were identified in the brain tissue, especially in brain-stem. At 2 h and 8 h after injury, brain edema and axonal swelling appeared clearly in the cortex and white matter, especially in brain-stem. At post-traumatic 8 h and 24 h, the axonal retraction balls began to appear. The amount of neurons undergoing type I and II changes and constraction balls increased along with the survivor time. After 4 days and 5 days, brain edema alleviated, but the retraction balls and axonal swelling still existed. With Esterifica-tion silver stain, the above changes of neurons and nerve fibers were more obvious. With ABC stain, the distribution of albumin(Al) was extended from the perio-vascular area to diffuse distribution. Al positive staining were more obvious in injuried neurons and nerve fibers. CONCLUSION The distribution of the concussive damage in the brain are coup, contra-coup and centripental.
Albumins ; Animals ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Brain/pathology* ; Head Injuries, Closed/pathology* ; Immunohistochemistry/methods* ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Silver Staining

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effects of carnosine against experimental closed head injury (CHI) in mice.

METHODSThe CHI model was established by free-falling weight-drop. Carnosine (250 mg/kg or 500 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally 30 min before brain trauma, then q.d for 7 d; while normal saline was administrated for control group. The neurological defect was evaluated by neurological severity score (NSS) within 7 d; the survival rate and the histological alternations were observed.

RESULTSCarnosine prevented the body weight loss of mice at dose of 500 mg/kg; significantly increased the survival rate, and reduced the neurological defect and histological damage at dose of 250 and 500 mg/kg.

CONCLUSIONCarnosine can attenuate closed head injury in mice.

Animals ; Carnosine ; therapeutic use ; Disease Models, Animal ; Head Injuries, Closed ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR

OBJECTIVE: To provide the evidence of the relationship between brain injury and the time of injury. METHODS: Rats were contused on brain by fluid percussion, then were killed after injury for 15 min, 30 min, 1,3,6,12 h, and 1,4,7,14 d respectively. The expression of caspase-8 were detected by immunohistochemical technology on rat brain section and the results were assessed by image analysis system in the cerebral cortex, thalamus, and hippocampus. RESULTS: The expression of caspase-8 in cortex and hippocampus could be detected in 30 min after injury, increased significantly in 3h, reached apex in 1d after injury, remained 4d before decreased. In addition, the expression of caspase-8 can be detected in 1h after injury and reached apex in 1d after injury, and remained 4d then reduced. CONCLUSION It seems that the expression of caspase-8 should be a useful target for diagnosis of early brain injury.
Animals ; Brain Injuries/pathology* ; Caspase 8/analysis* ; Cerebral Cortex/pathology* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Head Injuries, Closed/pathology* ; Hippocampus/pathology* ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Staining and Labeling ; Thalamus/pathology* ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVE: In order to improve accuracy of forensic expert conclusion and provide scientific and reasonable accordance for revising identifying criteria for the injury degree, correlation between clinical classification and injury certification of acute closed head trauma were explored. METHODS: A total of 30 cases about acute closed head trauma were selected. Comparison and analysis were made about their differences and the correlation between the clinical classification and the injury degree certification. RESULTS: Mild craniocerebral injury is equal to mild or moderate injury, moderate craniocerebral injury is equivalent to mild or severe injury, severe craniocerebral injury is mostly equivalent to severe injury. CONCLUSION There are some correlation between the clinical classification and the injury certification in acute closed head trauma. It is necessary to refer to the criteria of clinical classification when revising identifying criteria for the injury degree so as to enhance scientific rigor and rationality.
Adult ; Brain Concussion/pathology* ; Expert Testimony/standards* ; Female ; Forensic Pathology/standards* ; Head Injuries, Closed/pathology* ; Humans ; Injury Severity Score ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage/pathology* ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To explore the difference of expression of proteins between the serum and hippocampus after brain injury in rats. METHODS: Male SD rats were used to establish brain injury model. The changes of proteins expression profile in serum and hippocampus at different time after brain injury were analyzed using weak cationic exchanger (WCX2) chips and immobilized metal affinity capture arrays-Cu (IMAC-Cu) chips by surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. RESULTS: A total of 436 protein peaks were detected in serum and 346 protein peaks were detected in hippocampus using WCX2 chips. A total of 229 protein peaks were detected in serum and 345 protein peaks were detected in hippocampus using IMAC-Cu chips. The same 10 protein peaks were respectively detected in serum and hippocampus using WCX2 chips. The same 13 protein peaks were respectively detected in serum and hippocampus using IMAC-Cu chips. CONCLUSION The changes of protein expression profile in serum and hippocampus are obvious after closed brain injury and show a significant difference. The different proteins detected in serum and hippocampus using the same chip could be biochemical markers for determining brain injury.
Animals ; Blood Proteins/analysis* ; Brain/pathology* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Head Injuries, Closed/metabolism* ; Hippocampus/metabolism* ; Male ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Protein Array Analysis/methods* ; Proteins/metabolism* ; Proteomics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization