Regional Strain Response of an Anatomically Accurate Finite Element Head Model

Abstract The need for an objective measure of injury in an area of the body that is difficult to study through experimental research methods combined with recent advancements in computational capabilities has led to a focus on development of detailed finite element models. Model development, anatomical detail, and injury metrics, however, varies widely. The purpose of this study was to benchmark the response of a newly developed anatomically accurate human brain model against the SIMon and GHBMC models and describe the predicted regional responses of the brain. The MCW-USAARL Head Injury Model (MUHIM) anatomy was developed using a neuroimaging atlas and neurosurgeon review. Material properties were obtained from literature. All three models were exercised using data from in-house laboratory tests that consisted of a helmeted head and neck mounted on a mini-sled device. Cumulative strain damage measure (CSDM) was calculated for each model using a strain threshold of 15, used in previous studies as a brain injury threshold. SIMon and GHBMC whole brain CSDM was 0.25 and 0.3 for the frontal and 0.40 and 0.3 for the lateral impact tests. Comparatively, whole brain CSDM from the MUHIM model was 0.27 for frontal tests and 0.45 for lateral tests. It is known that cognitive functions are region specific, and damage to one region may have specific neural sequela. Such regional or local metrics may explain different types of brain injuries.