Degree
Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
Major(s)
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Document Type
Immediate Open Access
Abstract
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) occurs when a foreign object induces damage to the skull and brain through a forceful blow or whiplash. It is one of the most frequent injuries in the United States, with approximately 250,000 cases of different levels occurring annually. It is well known that severe TBIs can result in persistent physical, cognitive, and socioeconomic consequences and the timing of treatment following this injury can play a critical role in the ultimate outcome. It would be beneficial to develop a safe therapeutic that could be administered rapidly after impact and improve the recovery of the patient. However, the vast majority of TBI cases are mild and, currently, the most common treatment for these cases is rest. While the consequences of mild TBI are less distinct, persistent effects are still commonly reported. Therefore, it would be beneficial to have a safe therapeutic that could be used to improve the long-term outcome of mild TBI. Unfortunately, negative biochemical and morphological changes following mild TBI in preclinical models are non-conclusive, greatly reducing their use as indicators of improvement. However, subtle behavioral changes induced by mild TBI may be more useful as an indicator. The goal of this project is to establish a mild to moderate TBI model that could be used to test therapeutics using subtle behavioral changes. To model mild TBI, a weight drop device was used to deliver a 2.25J impact in adult male rats. Behavioral performance on a ledged balance beam and in an open field was determined. On the beam, the TBI Rats had a slightly higher number of foot slips than the control rats. In the open field, TBI rats spent longer time on the periphery compared to control rats. Thus, these subtle behavioral changes may be useful indicators that can be used to determine if a therapeutic intervention exerts a positive effect following mild TBI.
Date Defended
4-24-2026
Thesis Director
Russell Carr
Second Committee Member
Shirley Guo-Ross
Third Committee Member
Holli Seitz
Recommended Citation
Anderson, Hayden, "Development of a Preclinical Model that can be Used to Test Novel Therapeutics for the Treatment of Mild and Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury" (2026). Honors Theses. 201.
https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/honorstheses/201
Included in
Neuroscience and Neurobiology Commons, Pharmacology, Toxicology and Environmental Health Commons
