Assessment of Behavioral Deficits in Minipig Model of Pediatric Concussion

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Project Summary/Abstract Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading health concern for both children and adults worldwide. Similarities between pig and human brain anatomy, development, and neuroinflammatory response have brought attention to the domestic pig as a highly promising model animal for studying age-specific responses to mechanical trauma. To date, I have quantified baseline behavioral data in healthy Yucatan minipigs. For the duration of the training period, I will conduct a battery of behavioral tests to identify changes in behavior and physiology in juvenile pigs following a closed-head impact procedure designed to model pediatric concussion. In the postdoctoral phase, I plan to develop expertise in the development of novel neurointervention strategies in large animal models. To facilitate transition to a lab where I will need to utilize state-of-the-art imaging techniques to validate the efficacy of my treatments, I will use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as an assessment tool to quantify changes in neural structure and function in brain-injured pigs. I will receive comprehensive training in MRI data processing from experts in both human and pig neuroradiology. The proposed training plan is specifically crafted to prepare me, Alesa Netzley, for a fulfilling and distinguished career as a large animal systems and translational neuroscientist.