Figure 7.

Images showing the absence of neuronal damage but the presence of axonal injury after 50–60 psi blasts. Images (A–D) present sections through the rostral cerebral cortex on the blasted side immunolabeled for NeuN (a pan-neuronal marker) (A,B) and SMI-32 (a marker of perikarya and dendrites of layer 3 and layer 5 cerebrocortical neurons) (C,D) from 0- or 60-psi mice, 3–4 weeks after blast. Note the absence of evident neuron loss or injury in cerebral cortex or striatum in the 60-psi mice. By contrast, degenerating axons as detected by NeuroSilver staining are seen above the pyramidal tract (E) in a mouse sacrificed 2 weeks after a 50-psi blast, and in the lateral lemniscus (F) in a mouse sacrificed 2 weeks after a 60-psi blast.