Diffuse axonal injury
Diffuse axonal injury (often shortened to DAI) is one of the most common forms of traumatic brain injury. In traumatic brain injury, the damage is focused to one area of the brain, in diffuse axonal injury, the damage occurs over a larger area of the brain. DAI mainly damages white matter, which makes it one of the major causes of unconsciousness and persistent vegetative state after head trauma.[1] It occurs in about half of all cases of severe head trauma.
Frequently, people suffering such damage fall into a coma; Over 90 percent of the patients with severe DAI never regain consciousness.[1] Those who do wake up often remain significantly impaired.[2]
Other authors state that DAI can occur in every degree of severity from (very) mild or moderate to (very) severe.[3][4] Concussion may be a milder type of diffuse axonal injury.[5]
Diffuse Axonal Injury Media
Immunoreactive axonal profiles are observed as either granular (B, G, H) or more elongated, fusiform (F) swellings in the corpus callosum and the brain stem (H) at 24h post traumatic brain injury. Example of APP immunoreactive neurons (arrow heads) observed in the cortex underneath the impact site (E, G). No APP staining was observed in healthy control animals (D).
Diffuse axonal injury after a motorcycle accident. MRI after 3 days: on T1-weighted images the injury is barely visible. On the FLAIR, DWI and T2*-weighted images a small bleed is identifiable.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Wasserman J. and Koenigsberg R.A. (2007). Diffuse axonal injury. Emedicine.com. Retrieved on 2008-01-26.
- ↑ Vinas F.C. and Pilitsis J. (2006). Penetrating head trauma. Emedicine.com. Retrieved on 2008-01-14.
- ↑ Vik A., Kvistad, K.A., Skandsen, T. & Ingebritsen, T. (2006). Diffus aksonal skade ved hodetraume. Tiddskr. Nor. Lægeforen. 126: 2940-44.
- ↑ Smith, D.H. and Meaney D.F. (2000). Axonal damage in traumatic brain injury Archived 2005-11-11 at the Wayback Machine. The Neuroscientist. 6 (6): 483—495.
- ↑ Sivák Š, Kurča E, Jančovič D, Petriščák Š, Kučera P (2005). "An outline of the current concepts of mild brain injury with emphasis on the adult population" (PDF). Časopis Lėkařů Českých. 144 (7): 445–50.
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