Abstract

Blast-relatedtraumaticbraininjury(TBI)isassociatedwithavarietyofmentalhealthdisordersinveterans includingpost-traumaticstressdisorder(PTSD)anddepression.Theseconditionshavebeenparticularly commoninveteransreturningfromtherecentconflictsinIraqandAfghanistan.Treatmentsforthechronic symptomsthatfollowblast-relatedTBIarecurrentlylimitedtolargelysupportivecare.Wehaveexploredthe effectsof74.5-kPablastexposuresthatmimicmildTBI(mTBI)inaratmodel.Blast-exposedratsexhibiteda varietyofPTSD-relatedbehavioraltraits,includingincreasedanxiety,enhancedacousticstartle,altered responsestoapredatorscent,andalteredcuedfearresponsesthatarechronicandpersistent.Thecerebral vasculatureisespeciallysensitivetoblastinjurywithbothacuteandchronicvascularpathologybeingpresent afterblast-exposure.Theoverallgoaloftheproposedresearchistotestwhetherphotobiomodulationtherapy usingtranscraniallasertherapy(TLT)canimprovethechronicanxietyandPTSD-relatedbehavioraltraits observedinblast-exposedratswhileamelioratingtheunderlyingvascularpathology.BeneficialeffectsofTLT havebeenshowninbothhumansandanimalmodelsforarangeofneurologicalandpsychologicaldisorders includingTBI.WeproposetoadministerTLTtoblast-exposedratsatsixmonthsafterblastexposure,atime whenthePTSD-relatedbehavioralphenotypeiswellestablished.WewilldeterminewhetherTLTcanreverse thebehavioraleffectsofblastinjuryusingatestingstrategythatwillfocusonthosetestspreviouslyfoundmost informative.Wewilldetermineusingmicro-CTscanning,quantitativehistopathologyandbiochemistrywhether blastassociatedvascularpathologycanbereversedbyTLT.Collectively,thesestudieswillexplorethe potentialtherapeuticbenefitsoftranscranialphotobiomodulationforthetreatmentofblast-relatedbehavioral effects.Thesestudiesmayuncovernewtherapeuticoptionsforthetreatmentofveteransaffectedbythe chroniceffectsofblast-relatedinjury.

Public Health Relevance

Blastexposureisassociatedwithavarietyofmentalhealthrelatedproblemsinveteransincludingpost- traumaticstressdisorder(PTSD).Theproposedresearchwilltestwhethertranscranialphotobiomodulation therapycanimprovethechronicanxietyandPTSD-relatedbehavioraltraitsobservedinblast-exposedrats whileamelioratingtheunderlyingvascularpathology.Thefindingsofthisresearchmaybeusedtodevelop newtherapeuticstrategiesforthetreatmentofveteransaffectedbyblast-relatedbraininjury.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Veterans Affairs (VA)
Type
Veterans Administration (I21)
Project #
1I21RX003019-01
Application #
9662864
Study Section
Rehabilitation Research and Development SPiRE Program (RRDS)
Project Start
2019-01-01
Project End
2020-12-31
Budget Start
2019-01-01
Budget End
2019-12-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2019
Total Cost
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
James J Peters VA Medical Center
Department
Type
DUNS #
040077133
City
Bronx
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
10468