Mazdak Ghajari, Peter J. Hellyer, David Sharp
Brain, 2016
Brain modelling · Past project
Predicting location of CTE pathology
A high-fidelity brain model that resolves anatomy down to the sulci.
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) pathology accumulates in the depths of sulci, the grooves on the brain's surface. Using an anatomically detailed finite element brain model and diffusion imaging of patients with traumatic brain injury, we found that maximal mechanical strains and diffusion abnormalities both concentrate in sulcal depths, linking mechanical loading to CTE pathology.
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a type of dementia caused by head impacts. Its characteristic pathology is the accumulation of tau proteins in the depths of sulci, the grooves on the surface of the brain.
We developed an anatomically detailed finite element model of the human brain, including sulci anatomy, and used it to predict the distribution of large brain strains during impacts in sports, road traffic incidents, and falls.
We also analysed the diffusion images of a cohort of patients diagnosed with traumatic brain injury to identify abnormalities in the sulci and gyri.
We found that maximal mechanical strains and diffusion abnormalities both concentrate in sulcal depths. These results suggest a link between mechanical loading and pathology in the sulci, which can be the basis for further research and for informing mitigation strategies.
Related publications
Papers connected to this work.
Karl Zimmerman, J. Kim, Clara Karton, Liam Lochhead, David Sharp, T. Blaine Hoshizaki, Mazdak Ghajari
Journal of Biomechanics, 2021