Zinc-mediated cell death in the hippocampus following experimental traumatic brain injury

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dc.contributor.committeeMemberWolfgang Maret, Ph.D.en_US
dc.contributor.committeeMemberKelly Dineley, Ph.D.en_US
dc.contributor.committeeMemberHelen Hellmich, Ph.D.en_US
dc.contributor.committeeMemberClaudia Robertson, M.D.en_US
dc.creatorBridget Eva Hawkinsen_US
dc.date.accessioned2011-12-20T16:05:35Z
dc.date.accessioned2014-02-19T22:05:42Z
dc.date.available2008-12-10en_US
dc.date.available2011-12-20T16:05:35Z
dc.date.available2014-02-19T22:05:42Z
dc.date.created2008-11-19en_US
dc.date.issued2008-07-15en_US
dc.description.abstractTraumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality of Americans both in the 15-25 age range and in the elderly population. Hippocampal neuronal damage is a key feature of experimental fluid percussion traumatic brain injury in rodents. However, the mechanisms contributing to the susceptibility to neuronal injury in this region are largely unknown. Since free ionic zinc (Zn2+) was shown to be toxic to neurons in vitro, I sought to examine the effects of Zn2+ on neuronal injury following TBI. To study this problem, I characterized a model of Zn2+-induced injury in an attempt to isolate zinc’s effect on cell death, in vivo. I also adapted a fluorimetric method to measure the amount of extracellular Zn2+ present following TBI, using microdialysis techniques. To date, the measurement of free ionic Zn2+ release in vivo after trauma has not been shown. I demonstrate that the amount of Zn2+ found in the extracellular fluid of TBI rats was below the range that causes neuronal injury and was not different than the amount of Zn2+ found in sham operated rats. Results of my experiments do not support the idea that presynaptic release of Zn2+ causes injury to surrounding neurons.en_US
dc.format.mediumelectronicen_US
dc.identifier.otheretd-11192008-142130en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2152.3/266
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.rightsCopyright © is held by the author. Presentation of this material on the TDL web site by The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston was made possible under a limited license grant from the author who has retained all copyrights in the works.en_US
dc.subjectzincen_US
dc.subjecttraumatic brain injuryen_US
dc.subjectneurotoxicityen_US
dc.subjectfluid percussion injuryen_US
dc.titleZinc-mediated cell death in the hippocampus following experimental traumatic brain injuryen_US
dc.type.genredissertationen_US
dc.type.materialtexten_US
thesis.degree.departmentNeuroscienceen_US
thesis.degree.grantorThe University of Texas Medical Branchen_US
thesis.degree.levelDoctoralen_US
thesis.degree.namePhDen_US

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