Computational Modeling of Brain Dynamics during Repetitive Head Motions

We numerically model the effects of repetitive human head motions in traumatic scenarios that are associated with severe brain injuries. Our results are based on the linear Kelvin-Voigt brain injury model, which treats the brain matter as a viscoelastic solid, and on our nonlinear generalization of that model, which emulates the gel-like character of the brain tissue. To properly compare the various traumatic scenarios, we use the BIC scale, which we developed to generalize the HIC scale to arbitrary head motions. Our simulations of the brain dynamics in sagittal and horizontal 2D cross-sections of the skull interior indicate that a repetitive reversal of traumatic head rotations can increase the severity/likelihood of brain injuries due to resonance effects.