Rehabilitation modality and onset differentially influence whisker sensory hypersensitivity after diffuse traumatic brain injury in the rat

Restor Neurol Neurosci, 2017 · DOI: 10.3233/RNN-170753 · Published: January 1, 2017

Simple Explanation

This study investigates how different types of rehabilitation (sensory deprivation vs. stimulation) and when they are applied after a traumatic brain injury (TBI) affect sensory hypersensitivity in rats. Rats were subjected to fluid percussion injury (FPI) to simulate diffuse TBI and then assigned to different rehabilitation interventions: whisker sensory deprivation or whisker stimulation, during either week one or week two post-injury. The study found that the modality and onset of sensory rehabilitation can differentially influence behavioral and stress responses to whisker stimulation, emphasizing the importance of evaluating these factors in TBI rehabilitation.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Deprivation therapy during week two elicited significantly greater sensory hypersensitivity compared to week one.
2
Stimulation therapy during week one resulted in low levels of sensory hypersensitivity, similar to deprivation therapy and naïve controls.
3
Aggravated corticosterone (CORT) levels in FPI rats were significantly lower than sham levels with deprivation therapy during week two, while non-aggravated CORT levels in FPI rats were significantly higher than sham with stimulation therapy during week one.

Research Summary

The study determined that the modality and onset of rehabilitation differentially influenced sensory hypersensitivity and plasma CORT levels in sham and diffuse brain-injured rats. Deprivation during week two resulted in increased WNT scores and aggravated CORT levels for sham and FPI rats; however, aggravated levels in shams were significantly higher than FPI rats. Stimulation therapy during week one produced significantly higher non-aggravated CORT levels in FPI rats compared to sham. Stimulation therapy during week two resulted in a muted CORT response to the WNT in both sham and injured rats compared to deprivation therapy.

Practical Implications

Clinical Rehabilitation Strategies

The findings suggest that the timing and type of rehabilitation strategies used in the clinic can have lasting effects on patients recovering from TBI, highlighting the need for personalized approaches.

Stress Management

Successful management of post-TBI stress is a critical predictor of successful rehabilitation and may also be responsive to rehabilitation modality and onset.

Further Research

Further exploration of the whisker barrel circuit may guide in understanding functional recovery of sensorimotor systems and provide an evidence based model for clinical intervention.

Study Limitations

1
The study did not find differences between injured and sham rats in whisker nuisance task scores, possibly due to repeated handling and rehabilitation muting the normal behavioral response in injured rats.
2
The length of whiskers at the time of WNT may also influence behavior and stress response.
3
The intensity and duration of rehabilitation therapies required to best attenuate injury-induced deficits as well as maintain the long-term benefits of rehabilitation remains to be determined.

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