Blast Wave Hurt Axon

Further exploration of the effects of a blast wave on the brain continue to shed light. Mice, after being exposed to a blast, showed cognitive and behavioral changes. It was noted that there was a shortening of the axon initial segment (AIS) in the cortex and hippocampus. This increases both the threshold and the ability of the firing neurons to perform normally and supports the conclusion that exposure to a single blast can lead to mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) with accompanying cognitive impairment and subcellular changes in the molecular organization of neurons.