The Evidence for Brain Injury in Whiplash Injuries

The evidence that brain damage can occur in injuries that produce whiplash is reviewed. The clinical phenomena for the two injuries are the same. Pure whiplash injury implies no, or minimal head contact, but many patients also have head contact against a head rest or the steering wheel or windshield. The relative severity of the neck injury and the head injury distinguishes whiplash from mild closed head injury. If there is brain injury is some patients with whiplash, it, by definition, falls at the mildest end of the concussion spectrum. The relationship between these two injuries is examined.

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The relationship between neuropsychological function and brain damage detected by neuroimaging after closed head injury

Brain Injury ◽

10.3109/02699059009026188 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 4 (4) ◽

pp. 349-363 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

J. T. Lindsay Wilson

Keyword(s):

Head Injury ◽

Brain Damage ◽

Closed Head Injury ◽

Neuropsychological Function ◽

Closed Head ◽

The Relationship

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Differences between open and closed head injury: evaluation of weight-drop model in experimental traumatic brain injury

Intrinsic Activity ◽

10.25006/ia.5.s2-a2.22 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 5 (Suppl. 2) ◽

pp. A2.22

Author(s):

Einars Kupats

Keyword(s):

Traumatic Brain Injury ◽

Brain Injury ◽

Head Injury ◽

Closed Head Injury ◽

Closed Head ◽

Weight Drop ◽

Experimental Traumatic Brain Injury

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Differential Leukocyte and Platelet Profiles in Distinct Models of Traumatic Brain Injury

Cells ◽

10.3390/cells10030500 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 500

Author(s):

William Brad Hubbard ◽

Meenakshi Banerjee ◽

Hemendra Vekaria ◽

Kanakanagavalli Shravani Prakhya ◽

Smita Joshi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Traumatic Brain Injury ◽

Brain Injury ◽

Head Injury ◽

Closed Head Injury ◽

Diffuse Brain Injury ◽

Blood Brain ◽

Closed Head ◽

Leukocyte Counts ◽

Neutrophil Aggregation ◽

Blood Leukocyte

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects over 3 million individuals every year in the U.S. There is growing appreciation that TBI can produce systemic modifications, which are in part propagated through blood–brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction and blood–brain cell interactions. As such, platelets and leukocytes contribute to mechanisms of thromboinflammation after TBI. While these mechanisms have been investigated in experimental models of contusion brain injury, less is known regarding acute alterations following mild closed head injury. To investigate the role of platelet dynamics and bioenergetics after TBI, we employed two distinct, well-established models of TBI in mice: the controlled cortical impact (CCI) model of contusion brain injury and the closed head injury (CHI) model of mild diffuse brain injury. Hematology parameters, platelet-neutrophil aggregation, and platelet respirometry were assessed acutely after injury. CCI resulted in an early drop in blood leukocyte counts, while CHI increased blood leukocyte counts early after injury. Platelet-neutrophil aggregation was altered acutely after CCI compared to sham. Furthermore, platelet bioenergetic coupling efficiency was transiently reduced at 6 h and increased at 24 h post-CCI. After CHI, oxidative phosphorylation in intact platelets was reduced at 6 h and increased at 24 h compared to sham. Taken together, these data demonstrate that brain trauma initiates alterations in platelet-leukocyte dynamics and platelet metabolism, which may be time- and injury-dependent, providing evidence that platelets carry a peripheral signature of brain injury. The unique trend of platelet bioenergetics after two distinct types of TBI suggests the potential for utilization in prognosis.

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Return of Memory and Sleep Efficiency Following Moderate to Severe Closed Head Injury

Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair ◽

10.1177/1545968308325268 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 23 (4) ◽

pp. 320-326 ◽

Cited By ~ 52

Author(s):

Michael J. Makley ◽

Lisa Johnson-Greene ◽

Patrick M. Tarwater ◽

Andrew J. Kreuz ◽

J. Spiro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Brain Injury ◽

Head Injury ◽

Motor Vehicle ◽

Motor Vehicle Accident ◽

Closed Head Injury ◽

Recovery Phase ◽

Sleep Efficiency ◽

Rehabilitation Unit ◽

Closed Head ◽

Unit Increase

Objective. Sleep disturbance is common in the subacute recovery phase following brain injury. A previous study from the authors' group found 68% of patients with closed head injury (CHI) had disrupted sleep on a rehabilitation unit. In the present study, the authors investigated whether improvement in sleep efficiency correlates with duration of posttraumatic amnesia (PTA) after CHI. Methods. Fourteen CHI patients were enrolled and followed prospectively. Mechanism of injury included motor vehicle accident, fall, and blunt assault. An actigraph was placed on each subject's wrist within 72 hours of admission to the rehabilitation unit and recorded data for the duration of their stay. A minimum of 7 days of continuous actigraphy data was obtained on all subjects. PTA was measured daily using the Orientation Log (O-LOG). Results. Seventy-eight percent of subjects had mean week-1 sleep efficiency scores of ≤63%. Patients admitted having already cleared PTA had significantly better week-1 sleep efficiency scores than those with ongoing amnesia ( P = .032). For those patients admitted with ongoing PTA, each 10-unit increase in sleep efficiency score correlated with 1 unit increase in O-LOG score ( P = .056). Conclusions. Disrupted sleep is common in the postacute stage following CHI. Improved sleep efficiency correlates with resolution of PTA. Decreased sleep efficiency may negatively affect memory return after traumatic brain injury. Actigraphy is uniquely suited to study the sleep patterns of these patients.

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