What Is Axon Degeneration

Axon degeneration is the pivotal pathological event of acute traumatic neural injury as well as many chronic neurodegenerative diseases. It is an active cellular program and yet molecularly distinct from cell death.

What causes axon degeneration?

Axon degeneration is a hallmark consequence of chemical neurotoxicant exposure (e.g. acrylamide), mechanical trauma (e.g. nerve transection, spinal cord contusion), deficient perfusion (e.g. ischemia, hypoxia), and inherited neuropathies (e.g. infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy).

Is axonal loss reversible?

Finally, axonal changes consistent with FAD can be detected in acute human multiple sclerosis lesions. In summary, our data suggest that inflammatory axon damage might be spontaneously reversible and thus a potential target for therapy.