Tissue Simulant Materials for Studying Blast-Induced Traumatic Brain Injury Mechanims

Blast-induced traumatic brain injury (bTBI) has become a common problem for military personnel in recent years. The mechanisms of the tissue damage present in bTBI remain poorly understood, but may be involved in the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). More knowledge of these mechanisms could allow researchers to develop better ways to treat and prevent bTBI. To do this, accurate representation of the brains response to bTBI need to be performed. Thus, brain tissue properties need to be biomimetically represented. This study characterized the physical properties of several materials intended for use as layered cranial phantoms in shock tube and open field blasts for gross observations and post-blast analysis. The data verified the tissue phantoms possessed qualities close to actual brain tissue and post-blast analysis of the phantoms showed possible damage at the interfaces between material layers. These findings provide a promising direction for research in the mechanism of bTBI.