FURI | Spring 2020

The Effects on Lower Motor Neuron Degeneration and Neurodegeneration Within the Cervical Region of the Spinal Cord Twenty-Eight Days Post Traumatic Brain Injury

This project’s motivation is to determine the extent that traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects lower motor neuron degeneration and neurodegeneration within the cervical region of the spinal cord twenty-eight days post TBI. The spinal cords will be sectioned and slide mounted for immunohistochemical evaluation. Immunostains will include morphological and cell specific staining to detect neurodegeneration. Sections will be imaged with microscopy and analyzed for quantification of TBI effects on synaptic connectivity, neuronal degeneration, and neuronal loss. This data will provide a baseline for designing and targeting stem cell replacement therapies to mitigate the long-term effects of TBI.