Biology subjects

Port, N.

Publications and source records attributed to Port, N..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

MILD TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY IMPAIRS EPISODIC MEMORY IN RATS

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is the most common type of traumatic brain injury. Symptoms following mTBI fall into physical, emotional, sleep, and cognitive categories, with memory deficits being a commonly documented sequelae. Whereas many animal models of mTBI exist, relatively few studies have examined the cognitive deficits of mTBI with human-like cognitive tasks. The Wayne State University Closed Head Weight Drop Model recapitulates critical physical elements of sport-related concussions and trauma-based mTBI. However, until now, this model has not previously been evaluated using a human-like memory task. Rats were trained in an odor-based item-in-context task that dissociates episodic and non-episodic memory (Panoz-Brown et al., Current Biology, 2016). The animals then underwent either a weight drop or a sham procedure. After the manipulation, animals were assessed in the item-in-context task. Episodic memory was significantly impaired in the injured rats by over 10% but not in the sham rats. Non-episodic memory was not impaired in either group. Additionally, a time-course immunohistochemical analysis of the hippocampus was performed to examine possible time-dependent changes in ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1 (iba1), a marker of activated microglia/macrophages and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), a marker of astrocytes. Concussion injury was associated with time-dependent morphological changes in astrocytes and microglia in injured rats compared to sham rats. This study is the first to document episodic memory impairment in an animal model of mTBI.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2025

MILD TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY IMPAIRS SPATIAL WORKING MEMORY IN RATS

Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI), or concussion, is the most common form of traumatic brain injury, which accounts for about 80% of cases. It is a common problem in contact sports and may lead to cognitive impairment. This study used the Wayne State University closed-head weight-drop model in lightly anesthetized and unrestrained Long Evans rats. This model allows for the rapid acceleration and deceleration of the head and torso, similar to the biomechanics in human mTBI. Rats were administered a single weight drop. Sham animals were treated the same as the mTBI group but were not subjected to weight drop. Rats were trained in an 8-arm radial maze to assess spatial working memory before and after weight drop manipulation. We observed that the injured rats spatial working memory performance significantly declined compared to the sham rats (cohens d = 1.88). Specifically, the performance of the sham group continued to improve after the sham procedure, whereas the performance of the injury group decreased. This study suggests the WDM model produces a deficit in spatial working memory in rats.

animal behavior and cognition↗

bioRxiv2020

Collegiate athlete brain data for white matter mapping and network neuroscience

We describe a dataset of processed data with associated reproducible preprocessing pipeline collected from two collegiate athlete groups and one non-athlete group. The dataset shares minimally processed diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) data, three models of the diffusion signal in the voxel, full-brain tractograms, segmentation of the major white matter tracts as well as structural connectivity matrices. There is currently a paucity of similar datasets openly shared. Furthermore, major challenges are associated with collecting this type of data. The data and derivatives shared here can be used as a reference to study the effects of long-term exposure to collegiate athletics, such as the effects of repetitive head impacts. We use advanced anatomical and dMRI data processing methods publicly available as reproducible web services at brainlife.io.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2020

Dynamic Vision Training Transfers Positively to Batting Performance Among Collegiate Baseball Batters

A growing body of evidence demonstrates visual, perceptual, and oculomotor abilities contribute to batting performance in baseball and there is interest in whether training such abilities can transfer positively to batting performance. The current study tested this question through a pre-registered randomized, and placebo-controlled intervention, conducted with 24 collegiate baseball players at two Division 1 universities. Athletes were randomized to receive either dynamic vision training consisting of stroboscopic, anticipatory timing, and eye quickness drills, or placebo drills stylized after control procedures in previous vision therapy studies. Generalized near-transfer was tested via a digital visual-motor task battery (n = 20), while sports-specific intermediate and far transfer of training were evaluated through instrumented batting practice metrics (n = 14) and box score performance in NCAA-sanctioned games (n = 12). The effects of training group were tested on these outcome measures while controlling for covariates such as pre-training expectations and site. Participants averaged 8.50 hours of training with no significant training group differences in adherence, expectations, or baseline assessments. ANCOVA revealed no group differences in measures of visual-motor skills or NCAA game statistics. However, batting practice demonstrated significant improvements in launch angle (p = 0.002, Cohens d = 0.74) and hit distance (p < 0.001, Cohens d = 0.70) for the active cohort relative to the placebo control. This controlled and pre-registered pilot study therefore provides preliminary evidence that vision training may improve batting practice performance, creating new opportunities for the transfer of skill training and warranting further study. Pre-RegistrationAt Open Science Framework on August 9, 2018. DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/496RX. Accessible at https://osf.io/jxh8u

neuroscience↗