THE ASTROGLIAL RESPONSE TO WALLERIAN DEGENERATION AFTER SPINAL-CORD INJURY IN HUMANS

We describe the changes exhibited by astrocytes in areas of Wallerian degeneration after spinal cord injury in humans using glial fibrillary acidic protein immunohistochemistry correlated to standard histology at time points ranging from 8 days to 23 years after injury. Astrocyte s were slow to react; a slight increase in immunoreactivity was observ ed at 4 months, Over time they began to lose immunoreactivity in both the somata and the processes as the debris from the degenerative proce ss was cleared. By 1 year after injury the staining intensity had decr eased to levels which were lower than in normal areas of the cord. Thi s hypointense staining persisted for at least 23 years after injury, T hese findings are significantly different from those observed in anima l studies and emphasize the need for additional pathological studies o f human spinal cord injury. (C) 1997 Academic Press.