Repetitive Blast Exposure Increases Appetitive Motivation and Behavioral Inflexibility in Male Mice

• DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.792648
• Publication Date: 2021-12-22T06:12:52Z
• Authors: Britahny Baskin; Suhjung Janet Lee; Emma Skillen; Katrina Wong; Holly Rau; Rebecca C. Hendri...; Kathleen Pagulayan; Murray A. Raskind; Elaine R. Peskind; Paul E. M. Phillips; David G. Cook; Abigail G. Schindler
• Keywords: Cognitive flexibility; Blast injury; Executive dysfunction

Blast exposure (via detonation of high explosives) represents a major potential trauma source for Servicemembers and Veterans, often resulting in mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Executive dysfunction (e.g., alterations memory, deficits mental flexibility, difficulty with adaptability) is commonly reported by Veterans history blast-related mTBI, leading to impaired daily functioning decreased quality life, but underlying mechanisms are not fully understood have been well studied animal models blast. To investigate behavioral contributing executive post-blast here we examined how repetitive blast male mice affects anxiety/compulsivity-like outcomes appetitive goal-directed behavior using an established mouse model mTBI. We hypothesized that would result corresponding performance operant-based reward learning flexibility paradigms. Instead, results demonstrate increase reward-seeking congruent decrease flexibility. also report chronic adverse changes related anxiety, compulsivity, hyperarousal. In combination, these data suggest function following mTBI at least part enhanced compulsivity/hyperreactivity inflexibility simply due lack motivation or inability acquire task parameters, important implications subsequent diagnosis treatment management.