Potential target identified for preventing long-term effects of traumatic brain injury

(University of Iowa Health Care) More than 200,000 US soldiers serving in the Middle East have experienced a blast-related traumatic brain injury, making it a common health problem and concern for that population. A University of Iowa study in mice suggests that protecting axons -- the fiber-like projections that connect brain cells -- could prevent the long-term neuropsychiatric problems caused by blast-related traumatic brain injury.