Impact Acceleration Model of Diffuse Traumatic Brain Injury

The impact acceleration (I/A) model of traumatic brain injury (TBI) was developed to reliably induce diffuse traumatic axonal injury in rats in the absence of skull fractures and parenchymal focal lesions. This model replicates a pathophysiology that is commonly observed in humans with diffuse axonal injury (DAI) caused by acceleration-deceleration forces. These are typical consequences of motor vehicle accidents and falls, which do not necessarily require a direct impact to the closed skull. In this chapter, we describe in detail the methodology and materials required to produce in the laboratory the rat model of I/A. We review how the model can be adapted to induce various brain injury severities, and provide recommendations to overcome some of the most frequent complications/issues encountered with this model.