Nerve fiber degeneration following a single experimental cerebral concussion in the rat

This study has demonstrated widespread nerve fiber degeneration (nfd) following experimental cerebral concussion (ECC) in the rat by use of the Fink-Heimer modification of the Nauta--Gygax silver staining method for impregnation of degenerating axons. Beginning approximately 1 mm rostral to the optic chiasm and progressing caudally to the level of the cervical spinal cord and sampling at 600 micrometers intervals, 60 of the most prominent neuronal structures showing nfd have been identified and tend to be associated with 3 sites of injury; the coup, the contrecoup and the craniocervical junction. The duration of ECC was compared to the extent of nfd observed.