Published in:
01-02-2004 | Original Article
Neuronal apoptosis following human brain injury
Authors:
R. Hausmann, T. Biermann, I. Wiest, J. Tübel, P. Betz
Published in:
International Journal of Legal Medicine
|
Issue 1/2004
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Abstract
Neuronal apoptosis has been investigated in paraffin-embedded brain tissue from 103 individuals who had sustained blunt head injury by use of the in situ nick translation (ISNT) technique. In order to provide reliable data for a forensic wound age estimation, a quantitative morphometric analysis was performed. Apoptotic neuronal cells could be detected in a cortical contusion with a wound age of 45 min at the earliest and in the majority of the cases with postinfliction intervals up to 2 weeks, numerous ISNT-positive cells were found adjacent to the traumatically injured area. The presented data indicate that neuronal apoptosis peaks at about 1 day and persists for at least 22 weeks after blunt head injury. The time-dependent occurrence of apoptotic cells can contribute to a forensic timing of cortical contusions and complements other immunohistochemical parameters, especially in the early postinfliction interval.