Comparative Tolerances for Cerebral Concussion by Head Impact and Whiplash Injury in Primates

Experimental head impact and whiplash injury experiments have been conducted in 3 sub-human primate species in order to define tolerance thresholds for onset of cerebral concussion. Preliminary analysis of our data support a hypothesis that approximately 50% of the potential for brain injury during impact to the unprotected movable head is directly proportional to head rotation and inversely proportional to head translation by the impact; the remaining brain injury potential of the blow is directly proportional to the contact phenomena of the impact. A scaling method for injurious rotations is presented which predicts that levels of head rotational velocity exceeding 50 Rad/sec and acceleration exceeding 1800 Rad/sec² are compatible with a 50% probability for onset of cerebral concussion in man.