Understanding the Mechanism of Translational Impacts on Traumatic Brain Injury through a Novel Experimental Setup

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a critical health concern arising from various incidents, such as blasts, falls, and car accidents, involving translational impacts. To probe the mechanisms underlying these impacts, we devised an innovative experimental setup. Our approach involves the construction of a head surrogate, where a hydrogel brain model is bathed in a fluid layer mimicking cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). A transparent plastic material for the skull facilitates the visualization of brain deformation. Pressure sensors were strategically mounted at the coup and contrecoup regions to measure CSF pressure during impact (5 ms). Pressure at the impact region was lower than those at the opposite region, mainly due to cavitation in the latter. Notably, cavitation-induced brain damage poses a greater risk, given the violent microjets resulting from cavitation implosion. Moreover, the analysis of brain deformation, combined with pressure data, indicated that both said regions were more vulnerable. Our study highlights the interplay between CSF pressure and brain deformation in the mechanism leading to brain damage. By pinpointing the more prone regions, this research can inform and enhance clinical strategies, enabling a more focused approach to managing and mitigating TBI effects.