Acoustic Startle Response as a Prognostic Tool for Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability in military and civilian populations. TBI can occur from a number of insults - such as blunt force, blast impact, or penetrating wounds - all associated with acute cognitive and sensory symptoms. The Acoustic Startle Reflex (ASR) is a brain-stem mediated, tri-synaptic response to acoustic stimuli involving involuntary contraction of major muscle groups. Previous studies have demonstrated that this response is suppressed following the fluid-percussion model of traumatic brain injury (TBI). The possibility exists that the suppression of this response could be exploited for prognostic purposes.