Neuro-gliovascular module of the corpus callosum in the diagnosis of diffuse axonal brain injury

Background: Currently, there is no scientifically based diagnostic complex for diffuse axonal brain injury (DAI) which allows to reveal its morphological substrate and determine the time elapsed after it, especially in the early post-traumatic period.

Aims: The aim of the study was to identify of morphological changes in the corpus callosum in various post-traumatic periods after DAI. The material of the study is the corpus callosum of victims who died from traumatic brain injury with DAI within the first hour (group I, n=25), in the period from 1 to 12 hours (group II, n=30) and in the period from 12 to 48 hours (group III, n=17) before the death. The control group of the study comprises the corpus callosum (n=25) of those who died from various causes of non-violent and violent death (without any head trauma).

Results: The main diagnostic criterion for DAI is represented by hemorrhages in the substance of the corpus callosum truncus. The proposed complex of morphological changes in the neuro-gliovascular module will allow to determine the time elapsed after DAI.

Conclusions: DAI as a special type of traumatic brain injury is manifested by a pathognomonic complex of pathomorphological changes in the deep structures of the brain, including the corpus callosum. Objectification of the time elapsed after DAI should be based on a comparative assessment of all morphological features of the identified neuro-gliovascular module, while its individual features can not be considered as diagnostic.