Vestibular System Function Following Blast Exposure

项目总结 不幸的是，爆炸暴露在军事和公共领域正在成为一种常见的经历。 平衡障碍，包括头晕、视觉不稳定和空间定向障碍是最常见的 冲击伤患者报告的常见症状。虽然病因不明，但有可能是 即使在低爆炸强度的情况下，前庭感受器及其神经传入也会受到损害 级别。我们已经开发了一种用于啮齿动物的全身冲击波发生器(激波管)，它可以提供压力 模拟简易爆炸装置(IED)产生的波形。我们将利用我们独特的 前庭研究方面的专业知识，能够进行解剖学、生理学和行为学的综合研究 为了深入了解冲击波暴露对前庭系统的影响并导致前庭功能障碍。 在目标1中，我们将研究C57/BL6的半规管和耳石受体的解剖结构。 小鼠，以及它们的神经传入，在一组动物中接受不同强度的单一冲击波 在爆炸后存活的多个天数进行波暴露，并将它们与没有 爆炸暴露。在目标2中，我们将检查耳道和耳石传入的动态响应特性 爆炸暴露后的运动刺激。在目标3中，我们将检查对前庭-眼反射的反应 (VOR)及其神经在相同爆炸条件下暴露的动物前庭核团中的相互关系 将它们与非爆炸性产仔伴侣对照组进行比较。总之，这些实验试图理解爆炸是如何 暴露影响前庭系统结构和功能，从而采取更有效的防护措施和 可以为冲击波暴露患者开发治疗方案。

PROJECT SUMMARY Blast exposures are unfortunately becoming a common experience in the military and public domains. Balance disorders, including dizziness, visual instability, and spatial disorientation are among the most common symptoms reported in blast injury patients. Although the etiology is unknown, it is possible that damage to the vestibular receptors and their innervating afferents has occurred, even with low blast intensity levels. We have developed a whole body blast generator (shock tube) for rodent use that delivers a pressure waveform which mimics that produced by improvised explosive devices (IED). We will capitalize on our unique expertise in vestibular research to perform a combination of anatomical, physiological, and behavioral studies to gain insight into how the vestibular system is affected by blast exposure and leads to vestibular dysfunction. In Aim 1, we will examine the anatomical structure of the semicircular canal and otolith receptors in C57/Bl6 mice, as well as their innervating afferents, in groups of animals receiving different intensities of a single blast wave exposure at multiple post-blast survival days and compare them to same age litter-mate controls with no blast exposure. In Aim 2, we will examine the dynamic response properties of canal and otolith afferents to motion stimulation following blast exposure. In Aim 3, we will examine the response vestibuloocular reflex (VOR) and its neural correlates in the vestibular nuclei in animals exposed to the same blast conditions and compare them to non-blast litter mate controls. Together, these experiments seek to understand how blast exposure affects vestibular system structure and function so that more effective protective measures and treatment options can be developed for blast exposure patients.