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Parker E, Aboghazleh R, Mumby G, Veksler R, Ofer J, Newton J, Smith R, Kamintsky L, Jones CMA, O'Keeffe E, Kelly E, Doelle K, Roach I, Yang LT, Moradi P, Lin JM, Gleason AJ, Atkinson C, Bowen C, Brewer KD, Doherty CP, Campbell M, Clarke DB, van Hameren G, Kaufer D, Friedman A. Concussion susceptibility is mediated by spreading depolarization-induced neurovascular dysfunction. Brain 2021; 145:2049-2063. [PMID: 34927674 PMCID: PMC9246711 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awab450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms underlying the complications of mild traumatic brain injury, including post-concussion syndrome, post-impact catastrophic death, and delayed neurodegeneration remain poorly understood. This limited pathophysiological understanding has hindered the development of diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers and has prevented the advancement of treatments for the sequelae of mild traumatic brain injury. We aimed to characterize the early electrophysiological and neurovascular alterations following repetitive mild traumatic brain injury and sought to identify new targets for the diagnosis and treatment of individuals at risk of severe post-impact complications. We combined behavioural, electrophysiological, molecular, and neuroimaging techniques in a rodent model of repetitive mild traumatic brain injury. In humans, we used dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI to quantify blood–brain barrier dysfunction after exposure to sport-related concussive mild traumatic brain injury. Rats could clearly be classified based on their susceptibility to neurological complications, including life-threatening outcomes, following repetitive injury. Susceptible animals showed greater neurological complications and had higher levels of blood–brain barrier dysfunction, transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) signalling, and neuroinflammation compared to resilient animals. Cortical spreading depolarizations were the most common electrophysiological events immediately following mild traumatic brain injury and were associated with longer recovery from impact. Triggering cortical spreading depolarizations in mild traumatic brain injured rats (but not in controls) induced blood–brain barrier dysfunction. Treatment with a selective TGFβ receptor inhibitor prevented blood–brain barrier opening and reduced injury complications. Consistent with the rodent model, blood–brain barrier dysfunction was found in a subset of human athletes following concussive mild traumatic brain injury. We provide evidence that cortical spreading depolarization, blood–brain barrier dysfunction, and pro-inflammatory TGFβ signalling are associated with severe, potentially life-threatening outcomes following repetitive mild traumatic brain injury. Diagnostic-coupled targeting of TGFβ signalling may be a novel strategy in treating mild traumatic brain injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Parker
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Faculty of Medicine, Halifax, NS, Canada.,Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Refat Aboghazleh
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Faculty of Medicine, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Griffin Mumby
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Faculty of Medicine, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Ronel Veksler
- Departments of Physiology and Cell Biology, Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Jonathan Ofer
- Departments of Physiology and Cell Biology, Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Jillian Newton
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Faculty of Medicine, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Rylan Smith
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Faculty of Medicine, Halifax, NS, Canada.,Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Lyna Kamintsky
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Faculty of Medicine, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Casey M A Jones
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Faculty of Medicine, Halifax, NS, Canada.,Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Eoin O'Keeffe
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Eoin Kelly
- FutureNeuro SFI Research Centre, The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.,Academic Unit of Neurology, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Klara Doelle
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Faculty of Medicine, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Isabelle Roach
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Faculty of Medicine, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Lynn T Yang
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Pooyan Moradi
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Faculty of Medicine, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Jessica M Lin
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Allison J Gleason
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Christina Atkinson
- Department of Family Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Chris Bowen
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.,Biomedical Translational Imaging Centre (BIOTIC), Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Kimberly D Brewer
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.,Biomedical Translational Imaging Centre (BIOTIC), Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Colin P Doherty
- FutureNeuro SFI Research Centre, The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.,Academic Unit of Neurology, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Matthew Campbell
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - David B Clarke
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Faculty of Medicine, Halifax, NS, Canada.,Department of Surgery (Neurosurgery), Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Gerben van Hameren
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Faculty of Medicine, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Daniela Kaufer
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.,Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute & Berkeley Stem Cell Center, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Alon Friedman
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Faculty of Medicine, Halifax, NS, Canada.,Departments of Physiology and Cell Biology, Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
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Veksler R, Vazana U, Serlin Y, Prager O, Ofer J, Shemen N, Fisher AM, Minaeva O, Hua N, Saar-Ashkenazy R, Benou I, Riklin-Raviv T, Parker E, Mumby G, Kamintsky L, Beyea S, Bowen CV, Shelef I, O'Keeffe E, Campbell M, Kaufer D, Goldstein LE, Friedman A. Slow blood-to-brain transport underlies enduring barrier dysfunction in American football players. Brain 2021; 143:1826-1842. [PMID: 32464655 PMCID: PMC7297017 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awaa140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Revised: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Repetitive mild traumatic brain injury in American football players has garnered increasing public attention following reports of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a progressive tauopathy. While the mechanisms underlying repetitive mild traumatic brain injury-induced neurodegeneration are unknown and antemortem diagnostic tests are not available, neuropathology studies suggest a pathogenic role for microvascular injury, specifically blood–brain barrier dysfunction. Thus, our main objective was to demonstrate the effectiveness of a modified dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI approach we have developed to detect impairments in brain microvascular function. To this end, we scanned 42 adult male amateur American football players and a control group comprising 27 athletes practicing a non-contact sport and 26 non-athletes. MRI scans were also performed in 51 patients with brain pathologies involving the blood–brain barrier, namely malignant brain tumours, ischaemic stroke and haemorrhagic traumatic contusion. Based on data from prolonged scans, we generated maps that visualized the permeability value for each brain voxel. Our permeability maps revealed an increase in slow blood-to-brain transport in a subset of amateur American football players, but not in sex- and age-matched controls. The increase in permeability was region specific (white matter, midbrain peduncles, red nucleus, temporal cortex) and correlated with changes in white matter, which were confirmed by diffusion tensor imaging. Additionally, increased permeability persisted for months, as seen in players who were scanned both on- and off-season. Examination of patients with brain pathologies revealed that slow tracer accumulation characterizes areas surrounding the core of injury, which frequently shows fast blood-to-brain transport. Next, we verified our method in two rodent models: rats and mice subjected to repeated mild closed-head impact injury, and rats with vascular injury inflicted by photothrombosis. In both models, slow blood-to-brain transport was observed, which correlated with neuropathological changes. Lastly, computational simulations and direct imaging of the transport of Evans blue-albumin complex in brains of rats subjected to recurrent seizures or focal cerebrovascular injury suggest that increased cellular transport underlies the observed slow blood-to-brain transport. Taken together, our findings suggest dynamic contrast-enhanced-MRI can be used to diagnose specific microvascular pathology after traumatic brain injury and other brain pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronel Veksler
- Departments of Physiology and Cell Biology, Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Udi Vazana
- Departments of Physiology and Cell Biology, Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Yonatan Serlin
- Departments of Physiology and Cell Biology, Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Neurology Residency Training Program, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Ofer Prager
- Departments of Physiology and Cell Biology, Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Jonathan Ofer
- Departments of Physiology and Cell Biology, Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Nofar Shemen
- Departments of Physiology and Cell Biology, Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Andrew M Fisher
- Molecular Aging and Development Laboratory, Boston University School of Medicine, College of Engineering, Alzheimer's Disease and CTE Center, and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Olga Minaeva
- Molecular Aging and Development Laboratory, Boston University School of Medicine, College of Engineering, Alzheimer's Disease and CTE Center, and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ning Hua
- Molecular Aging and Development Laboratory, Boston University School of Medicine, College of Engineering, Alzheimer's Disease and CTE Center, and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rotem Saar-Ashkenazy
- Departments of Physiology and Cell Biology, Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Department of Psychology and the School of Social-work, Ashkelon Academic College, Israel
| | - Itay Benou
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Tammy Riklin-Raviv
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Ellen Parker
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Faculty of Medicine, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Griffin Mumby
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Faculty of Medicine, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Lyna Kamintsky
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Faculty of Medicine, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Steven Beyea
- Biomedical Translational Imaging Centre (BIOTIC), IWK Health Centre and QEII Health Sciences Center, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Chris V Bowen
- Biomedical Translational Imaging Centre (BIOTIC), IWK Health Centre and QEII Health Sciences Center, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Ilan Shelef
- Department of Medical Imaging, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Eoin O'Keeffe
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Matthew Campbell
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Daniela Kaufer
- Department of Integrative Biology and the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Lee E Goldstein
- Molecular Aging and Development Laboratory, Boston University School of Medicine, College of Engineering, Alzheimer's Disease and CTE Center, and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alon Friedman
- Departments of Physiology and Cell Biology, Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Department of Medical Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Faculty of Medicine, Halifax, NS, Canada
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