Citation

Vowles GH, Scholtz CL, Cameron JM. J. Clin. Pathol. 1987; 40(2): 185-189.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1987, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

3818982

PMCID

PMC1140865

Abstract

Diffuse axonal injury typified by retraction balls and axonal swellings was identified in the brains of a series of infants, 5 months old and younger, who had suffered closed head injuries. These axonal discontinuities were shown by using Nauomenko and Feigin's silver method, which is particularly useful for showing fine axons such as those found in the developing brain. Diffuse axonal injury in early infancy may occur in the same way as that described in adults. The low incidence of intracerebral haematomata suggests that recurrent trauma to the head from a combination of direct contact and shaking results in axonal damage to the poorly myelinated axons and that blood vessels are rarely damaged.

Language: en