Animal models for the study of military-related, blast-induced traumatic brain injury

In present war time conditions, traumatic brain injury (TBI) has moved to the forefront as a “signature injury.” In terms of prevalence and understanding the biological mechanisms that underlie the injury, blast-induced TBI - particularly in “mild” cases-has proven to be a significant challenge for military medicine. Basic research that employs animal models of TBI is a key element for furthering our understanding of the biological consequences of blast-related TBI and for the development of therapeutic approaches. This paper outlines the currently available prototypes for the study of TBI, particularly in rodent models, and how the most widely used approaches for modeling TBI can contribute to understanding the mechanisms of injury.