Computational model of an infant brain subjected to periodic motion simplified modelling and bayesian sensitivity analysis

Abstract

Non-accidental head injury in infants, or shaken baby syndrome, is a highly controversial and disputed topic. Biomechanical studies often suggest that shaking alone cannot cause the classical symptoms, yet many medical experts believe the contrary. Researchers have turned to finite element modelling for a more detailed understanding of the interactions between the brain, skull, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and surrounding tissues. However, the uncertainties in such models are significant; these can arise from theoretical approximations, lack of information, and inherent variability. Consequently, this study presents an uncertainty analysis of a finite element model of a human head subject to shaking. Although the model geometry was greatly simplified, fluid-structure-interaction techniques were used to model the brain, skull, and CSF using a Eulerian mesh formulation with penalty-based coupling. Uncertainty and sensitivity measurements were obtained using Bayesian sensitivity analysis, which is a technique that is relatively new to the engineering community. Uncertainty in nine different model parameters was investigated for two different shaking excitations: sinusoidal translation only, and sinusoidal translation plus rotation about the base of the head. The level and type of sensitivity in the results was found to be highly dependent on the excitation type.