Traumatic Brain Injury in Animal Models and Humans

Clinical/behavioral measures have traditionally been used to assess neurologic outcomes after human traumatic brain injury (TBI) as well as in experimental models of TBI. In this chapter, we address the metrics to assess injury/recovery in human TBI and consider the determinants of outcome. Further, we describe the commonly used experimental rodent models of TBI and the behavioral assays employed in these models for three major categories of neurologic assessments: sensorimotor (aggregate and individual tests), cognitive (memory and avoidance paradigms), and affective (novelty, social interaction, and anxiety) behaviors. Finally, we discuss the issues underlying use of behavioral assays in successful translation of candidate therapeutics from experimental models to human TBI.