TY - JOUR
T1 - Changes of the cerebral mannitol concentrations in the course of brain death of a rodent model
AU - Kiyoshima, Akiko
AU - Kudo, Keiko
AU - Goto, Yoshinobu
AU - Tobimatsu, Shozo
AU - Ikeda, Noriaki
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by grants from Casio Science Promotion Foundation. The authors thank Dr Y. Natori and Dr S. Inoha, Department of Neurosurgery, Kyushu University for medical advice, K. Yamamoto for technical assistance with ECoG recording and M. Ohara (Fukuoka, Japan) for language assistance.
Copyright:
Copyright 2008 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2004/4
Y1 - 2004/4
N2 - Determining the time of brain death is one of the critical issues in forensic examinations. Few authors have attempted to determine the time of brain death using pharmacokinetic approaches. We investigated cerebral concentrations of mannitol of which a single dose (1 g/kg) was administered in the course of brain death. The inflation of an epidural balloon was adopted as a rodent model of brain death. Brain death was determined using ordinary tests. Specimens were collected 4 h after brain death. Brain water content was higher in brain dead (BD) groups than those in control groups. Cerebral concentrations of mannitol in the BD group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.01). In all areas of brain the concentration was the highest at the time when mannitol was administered during balloon inflation. Interhemispheric difference in the cerebrum was observed, followed by balloon inflation (P<0.05). Significant differences were observed in the average concentration of administered mannitol before and after brain death in the contralateral hemisphere (P<0.01) and in the brainstem (P<0.001). As the concentrations of mannitol in the brain are affected by cerebral trauma and brain death follows, mannitol can be used to determine the time of brain death at forensic examinations.
AB - Determining the time of brain death is one of the critical issues in forensic examinations. Few authors have attempted to determine the time of brain death using pharmacokinetic approaches. We investigated cerebral concentrations of mannitol of which a single dose (1 g/kg) was administered in the course of brain death. The inflation of an epidural balloon was adopted as a rodent model of brain death. Brain death was determined using ordinary tests. Specimens were collected 4 h after brain death. Brain water content was higher in brain dead (BD) groups than those in control groups. Cerebral concentrations of mannitol in the BD group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.01). In all areas of brain the concentration was the highest at the time when mannitol was administered during balloon inflation. Interhemispheric difference in the cerebrum was observed, followed by balloon inflation (P<0.05). Significant differences were observed in the average concentration of administered mannitol before and after brain death in the contralateral hemisphere (P<0.01) and in the brainstem (P<0.001). As the concentrations of mannitol in the brain are affected by cerebral trauma and brain death follows, mannitol can be used to determine the time of brain death at forensic examinations.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.legalmed.2003.11.003
DO - 10.1016/j.legalmed.2003.11.003
M3 - Article
C2 - 15039055
AN - SCOPUS:1642293289
SN - 1344-6223
VL - 6
SP - 117
EP - 124
JO - Legal Medicine
JF - Legal Medicine
IS - 2
ER -