A Rat Model for Blast-Induced Non-Organic Mild Brain Injury

Objectives: To establish and characterize a rat model for blast-induced mild Non-organic brain injury. Material and Methods: 40 SD male adult rats (150-200 g) were randomly divided into non-organic brain injury group and normal control group. Electric detonators (equivalent of 400 mg TNT explosion) were exploded in injury group to induce injury after which respiration, heart rate, physical activity and the Racine-scaled behavioral performance were monitored. Lempel-Ziv complexity C (n) was employed to analyze EEG complexity. Rats were sacrificed on the 7th day to characterize pathological changes. Results: No pathological change was observed after 7 days. 11(55%) rats in injury group exhibited brief respiratory arrest in that average arrest time was 3.5 s and respiratory rate was increased to 120/min. Convulsions of limbs and mouth were found in 85% of rats with an average duration of 3.1 s. Lempel-Ziv complexity C (n) of EEG decreased rapidly in injured animal and was significantly lower than that of control group. Conclusion: Dysfunction of nerve system was induced immediately after explosion leading to a series of physiological and behavioral abnormities.