Fig. 12

Dysautonomia is induced acutely by TBI and persistently by intestinal inflammation during chronic TBI. TBI significantly and transiently elevated sympathetic tone (↑LF/HF) at 24 h returning to baseline levels by 7 days post-TBI injury a. Sham+DSS and TBI + DSS mice exhibited increased sympathetic tone during both DSS injury and 1-week recovery phases compared to their water-treated counterparts (Sham, TBI) and Naïve+DSS mice b. Graphs of LF/HF ratios at specific time points within the study; PTD1 c, PTD35 d, and PTD42 e. Data expressed as mean ± s.e.m (pre-DSS: n = 30–31/group; DSS injury phase: n = 14–17/group DSS injury; 1-week recovery phase: n = 14–17/group). a–e ** p < 0.01 vs Naïve/Sham, ^ p < 0.05 vs Naïve+DSS, + p < 0.05 vs Sham, ++ p < 0.01 vs TBI. Abbreviations: LF, low frequency; HF, high frequency