Brain Fluid Content Related to Body Position and Postmortem Interval – An Animal Model. Issue 3 (15th February 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Leonard, Anna; Vink, Robert; Byard, Roger W.
• Is Part Of: Journal of forensic sciences. Volume 61:Issue 3(2016)
• Page Start: 671
• Page End: 673
• Publication Date: 2016-02-15
• Subjects: forensic science -- postmortem interval -- postmortem position -- cerebral swelling -- edema -- liquefaction -- time of death; Medical jurisprudence -- Periodicals; Forensic sciences -- Periodicals; Forensic Medicine -- Periodicals; Gerechtelijke geneeskunde; Gerechtelijke chemie; Gerechtelijke psychiatrie; 363.2505
• DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.13038
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-1198

Abstract

Abstract: Adult male Sprague Dawley rats were euthanized and placed in a horizontal or vertical (head‐down) position at room temperature, after which brain fluid content was measured by a moisture analysis technique at variable time points. No significant difference in brain fluid content was observed between horizontal and vertical postmortem positions. A significant increase in brain fluid content was demonstrated 3, 6, and 24 h after death, with maximal fluid content observed at 24 h. Specifically, the brain fluid content of control animals was 77.79 ± 0.36%, increasing to 80.05 ± 0.22% at 24 h ( p < 0.0001). This study has demonstrated no significant differences in brain fluid content related to postmortem position, suggesting that a head‐down position is not associated with increased brain fluid content or swelling. However, significant temporal increases in brain fluid content after death, most likely related to cerebral liquefaction, occur.