Animal models of traumatic brain injury

Posttraumatic epilepsy (PTE) is a long-term negative consequence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in which recurrent spontaneous seizures occur after the initial head injury. Animal models have been used to study TBI for over a century and provide a unique opportunity for researchers to investigate the pathophysiological changes by which trauma leads to PTE. Although preclinical models cannot entirely recapitulate the human condition, they are essential for understanding the biomechanical, cellular, and molecular mechanisms underlying TBI and the development of PTE. In this chapter, we will review the six most widely used mechanical TBI animal models: fluid percussion injury, controlled cortical impact injury, weight drop injury, penetrating ballistic-like injury, blast-induced injury, and undercut injury.