Experimental Designs for Repeated Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Challenges and Considerations

Mild traumatic brain injury (mild TBI) is a growing public concern, as evidence mounts that even brain injuries classified as "mild" can result in persistent neurological dysfunction. Multiple brain injuries heighten the likelihood of worsened or more prolonged symptomatology and may trigger long-term neurodegeneration. Animal models provide a logical platform to identify key parameters, such as loading forces, duration between injuries, and number of injuries, which contribute to additive or synergistic damage after repeated mild TBI. Despite the tremendous increase in research productivity in the field of repeated mild TBI, relatively few studies have been designed in such a way as to provide experimental-based insights into the dependence of cellular and functional outcomes on the prescribed parameters of mild TBI. In this review, we summarize how standard models of TBI have been adapted to produce mild TBI and highlight commonly observed aspects of neuropathology replicated in rodent models of mild TBI. The complexity of designing studies of repeated TBI is discussed, including challenges of incorporating appropriate control groups, informative experimental design, and relevant outcome measures. We then feature studies that provide a well-controlled, within-study design varying either the number of injuries or the interinjury interval. Harnessing the power of experimental models of TBI to elucidate which injury parameters are critical contributors to acute and chronic damage after repeated injury can further efforts at prevention and provide improved models for testing mechanisms and therapeutic interventions.