Figure 4

Neuronal loss and apoptosis is induced by mTBI in the dentate gyrus ipsilateral to injury and mitigated by 3,6′-dithiothalidomide. At 72 h post injury, the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus ipsilateral to mTBI was evaluated for cellular changes. (A) and (B) Neuronal loss (NeuN - green) was found post mTBI (p < 0.05). Treatment with the 3,6′-dithiothalidomide at 1 h post-injury prevented this loss. (A) and (C) An increase in BID (a marker for apoptosis in red) was evident in the mTBI brains (p < 0.01). No change in apoptotic cell death was apparent in animals treated with 3,6′-dithiothalidomide (as compared to sham animals). Within (A) (representative sections within the dentate gyrus), the bar is equal to 100 μm in length.