A computational investigation of strain concentration in the brain in response to a rapid temperature rise. Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • Following the mysterious health attacks on U.S. diplomats in Cuba in 2016, the cause of concussion-like symptoms concurrent with strange noises heard by the diplomats remains undetermined. A wide range of possible causes of the sensations have been proposed: pulsed microwave exposure, infrasound acoustic devices, pesticides/neurotoxins, and even mass hysteria (psychogenic illness). Here, we numerically examine the pulsed microwave exposure hypothesis and the simulated mechanical response of brain tissue. A computational model is used to examine the influence of various spatially varying temperature gradients and pulse durations on the mechanical response of brain tissue. We show that a stress-focusing effect due to a rapid temperature increase may result in brain tissue strains larger than the initially applied thermal strains.

published proceedings

  • J Mech Behav Biomed Mater

altmetric score

  • 16.3

author list (cited authors)

  • Dagro, A., & Wilkerson, J.

citation count

  • 5

complete list of authors

  • Dagro, Amy||Wilkerson, Justin

publication date

  • March 2021