DOI
https://doi.org/10.25772/262B-5D40
Defense Date
2023
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Anatomy & Neurobiology
First Advisor
Kimberle Jacobs
Second Advisor
John Greer
Third Advisor
Jeffrey Dupree
Abstract
Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is an extremely common affliction with an estimated 42 million people being affected by it worldwide each year. It can lead to a range of long-term chronic issues and the underlying pathology is not well understood. Several previous studies have shown that parvalbumin inhibitory interneurons (PV+) are injured during TBI, therefore altering the excitatory to inhibitory ratio in neural networks which can lead to several neurodegenerative disorders such as epilepsy. Perineuronal nets (PNNs) are an extracellular matrix element that preferentially surround PV+ neurons in the neocortex and are recently thought to have important roles in neuroplasticity and may serve as protection for PV+ neurons. While several studies have previously examined how PNNs are affected after injury, all of these studies have either focused on the hippocampus or have a severe injury level indicating contusion. The central fluid percussion injury model used for this study was created to model mTBI without contusion, as a diagnosis in humans lacks contusion injury. In this study, we were able to confirm a reduction of PNNs around some PV+ cells in the neocortex after mTBI without contusion injury. We were also able to show that the majority of axotomized PV+ cells were either surrounded by little WFA or no WFA staining indicating the majority of injured PV+ cells have weak or no PNNs present
Rights
© The Author
Is Part Of
VCU University Archives
Is Part Of
VCU Theses and Dissertations
Date of Submission
8-7-2023