University of Florida Spring Hill, Florida, United States
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are one of the most debilitating injuries that humans can face, and with the popularity of contact sports, they are becoming significantly more common. Inositol hexaphosphate (IP6) has been popularly used as a dietary supplement to act as a anti-neoplastic and anti-angiogenic agent in the human body, and it recently has been examined for its ability to reverse the neurological and behavioral effects of TBIs. Therefore, in this study, the effectiveness of IP6 against TBI-inflicted behavioral changes in Reticulitermes flavipes termites has been investigated. Their standard "trailing" behavior was specifically studied to determine the behavioral change that ensued before and after the TBI occurred. Numerous trials of varying lengths and approaches were conducted to obtain the most accurate understanding of IP6's potential to reverse the behavioral effects of a TBI. Hopefully, this will encourage similar studies to be conducted on higher-level organisms in the future.
