Repetitive Injuries in Brain Trauma

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is caused by an outside force that damages brain tissues and is often a result of sports injury or car accidents. Repeated blows to the head or multiple concussions happen frequently but the outcome over a prolonged period is not been well understood. When repeated injuries are involved, even a mild TBI can lead to the risk of cognitive impairment and neurodegenerative diseases. In this project, stem cells are used to grow brain organoids, which can resemble specific human brain regions. To test the effects of repeated injury on neural tissue, we use high pressure frequency waves (250kPa to 500 Hz, 3000 Hz and 5000 Hz respectively) to blast 4 different groups of organoids, fix them after 2 days and compare the cellular pathology. We will measure pathological changes in cell death and astrogliosis to determine a threshold of repetitive injury that compounds brain trauma.