Poor Corticospinal Motor Neuron Health Is Associated with Increased Symptom Severity in the Acute Phase Following Repetitive Mild TBI and Predicts Early ALS Onset in Genetically Predisposed Rodents

• DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11020160
• Publication Date: 2021-01-26T13:29:16Z
• Authors: Mor R. Alkaslasi; Noell E. Cho; Navpreet K. Dhillon; Oksana Shelest; Patricia S. Haro-...; Nikhil T. Linaval; Josh Ghoulian; Audrey R. Yang; Jean-Philippe Vit; Pablo Avalos; Eric J. Ley; Gretchen M. Thomsen
• Keywords: Corticospinal tract

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a well-established risk factor for several neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, however, link between TBI amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has not been clearly elucidated. Using the SOD1G93A rat model known to recapitulate human ALS condition, we found that exposure mild, repetitive lead rats experience earlier onset shortened survival relative their sham counterparts. Importantly, increased severity of early symptoms prior was linked poor health corticospinal motor neurons predicted worsened outcome later in life. Whereas with only mild behavioral deficits exhibited no observable changes neuron did present or survival, those more severe injury-related alterations presented significantly lifespan. While these studies do imply causes ALS, provide experimental evidence head genetically predisposed population associated neurons.