The past and present of Drosophila models of traumatic brain injury.

Abstract

Traumatic brain injuries are highly recognized as one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. A chronic and debilitating condition by nature, TBI is reportedly affecting the socio-economic well-being of society due to the unavailability of effective prophylaxis. Moreover, TBI is responsible for a myriad of systemic complications such as neurological deficits, gastrointestinal dysfunction, visual impairment, and disturbed circadian rhythm, to name a few. With increasing incidences of TBI-associated disabilities, there is an urgent need for better diagnostics and therapeutic interventions. An array of animal models has been developed to recapitulate pathophysiological conditions of TBI and to elucidate the course of cellular and molecular changes. Although mammalian models are pathophysiologically closer to humans, they decelerate the TBI research due to technical limitations. Therefore, various strategies have been established to model TBI in Drosophila that offer several advantages to study various attributes of TBI and provide a great opportunity for large-scale screening of potential drug molecules. In the present review, we have briefly summarized the fundamentals of brain injuries; contemporary advancements, contributions, and scope of Drosophila in TBI research.