Diffuse Axonal Injury

Epidemiology and Etiology:

· Trauma

· Angular acceleration, even in the absence of impact

Common sites:

· Deep centroaxial white matter regions, supratentorial

· Corpus collosum

· Paraventricular areas

· Hippocampal areas

· Brainstem:

· cerebral peduncles

· brachium conjunctivum

· superior colliculi

· deep reticular formation

Gross features:

·

Histologic features:

· Axonal swelling

· Wide but often asymmetric distribution (appear within hours and may persist much longer)

· Focal hemorrhagic lesions

· Increased numbers of microglia

· Degeneration of involved fiber tracts

Immunophenotype & Special Stains:

Marker:	Sensitivity:	Specificity:
Silver impregnation
Aß protein
Beta-APP	Detectable as early as 35 min after injury

Molecular features:

·

Other features:

·

References:

· Kumar V, Fausto N, Abbas A. Robbins & Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, Seventh Edition. 7th ed. Saunders; 2004.