A contract research network of neuroscientists

A contract research network of neuroscientists

Since 2002, 72% of all NDI studies have come from repeat clients.
NeuroDetective International:  Pre-clinical Contract Research Organization, Pharmaceutical disorders research and testing

Traumatic Brain Injury
 


The model NDI uses recognizes the rocky history of previous efforts to model traumatic injury to the brain.  Instead of a single endpoint measure, multiple endpoints are used in a comprehensive study design, focusing on behavioral tests with clinical relevance.

 

Example of a specific study design

Animals:  Mice or rats, 12 animals per group.

Behavior testing: Occurs at 4 time points (7, 12, 21, and 28 days post-lesion).  Multiple time-point testing controls for post-lesion recovery in the absence of any treatment, allowing detection of an improvment in the rate  of recovery by the test therapeutic.

Specific tests used:

  • Von-Frey hairs on hind-paws (sensory-motor threshold)
  • Inclined plane
  • Forelimb flexion
  • Forced lateral pulsion
  • Rotorod
  • Balance Beam walking
  • Patterned walking

The reason for using multiple behavioral measures is to ensure that any positive behavioral effects of the test compound are not method-specific.

Histology

In many TBI studies, neuroprotection has been evaluated almost exlusively by measuring lesion size.  It is now recognized that this measure is inadequate.  A test therapeutic may reduce lesion size without having any effect on neuron survival.  For this reason, we quantify any neuroprotection directly by counting neurons in the lesion area.  In addition, a structure connected with the damaged cortical area (the hippocampus) is measured, to see if the test compound reduces the normal TBI-induced atrophhy of this structure.  The importance of this measure is that hippocampus size is related to cognitive function.

Specific histological assays used:

  • Measurement of hippocampus size
  • Measurement of retrograde degeneration (NeuN labeling of neurons, which ar e counted directly)
  • Measurement of lesion size

 

Please contact us for additional information.

 

 

 


 

Website Design by Webfodder Website Design
by Webfodder