Neuroinflammation at the Gray–White Matter Interface in Active-Duty U.S. Special Operations Forces
Emerging evidence from autopsy studies indicates that interface astroglial scarring (IAS) at the gray-white matter junction is a pathological signature of repeated blast brain injury in military personnel. However, there is currently no <i>in vivo</i> neuroimaging test that detects IAS, which is a major barrier to diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. In 27 active-duty U.S. Special Operations Forces personnel with high levels of cumulative blast exposure, we performed translocator protein (TSPO) positron emission tomography (PET) using [<sup>11</sup>C]PBR28 to detect neuroinflammation at the cortical gray-white matter interface, a neuroanatomic location where IAS has been reported in autopsy studies. TSPO signal in individual Operators was compared with the mean TSPO signal in a control group of nine healthy civilian volunteers. We identified five Operators (18.5%) with TSPO signal at the cortical gray-white matter interface that was more than 2 standard deviations above the control mean. Cumulative blast exposure, as measured by the generalized blast exposure value, did not differ between the five Operators with elevated TSPO signal and the 22 Operators without elevated TSPO signal. While the pathophysiologic link between neuroinflammation and IAS remains uncertain, these preliminary observations provide the basis for further investigation into TSPO PET as a potential biomarker of repeated blast brain injury.
Authors
- Nicole R. Zürcher (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0271-6304)
- Brian L. Edlow (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7235-8456)
- Christine L. MacDonald (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7419-996X)
- Jacob M. Hooker (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9394-7708)
- Katryna B. Deary (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-9738-5179)
- Chieh-En Jane Tseng (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0592-335X)
- Samantha L. Tromly
- Brian C. Healy (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5272-2425)
- Yelena G. Bodien (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4858-2903)
- Collin Hu
- Natalie Gilmore (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2935-8386)
- Douglas N. Greve (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0610-0155)
- Daniel P. Perl (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4869-924X)
- David S. Priemer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6801-5140)
- Isabella R. McKinney (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-8105-4674)
- Kristen Dams-O’Connor (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2506-0216)
Institutions
- Brigham and Women's Hospital (US)
- Naval Sea Systems Command (US)
- Harvard University (US)
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (US)
- University of Washington (US)
- University of South Florida (US)
- Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital (US)
- Massachusetts General Hospital (US)
- Center for Neuro-Oncology (US)
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (US)
- Joint Special Operations University (US)
- Neurological Surgery (US)
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Neurotrauma Reports
- Published
- 2024-11-01
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1089/neur.2024.0116
- Citations
- 7
- Primary Topic
- Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 2.70
Funders
- U.S. Department of Defense
- Massachusetts General Hospital
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
- United States Special Operations Command
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital