WALLERIAN DEGENERATION: THE SPATIOTEMPORAL CASCADE OF AXONAL DISINTEGRATION AND MYELIN CLEARANCE

Samir Azis Al-Maktab, Abu Ghasan Mirza

Abstract


Wallerian Degeneration (WD) is an active, highly regulated biological process of axonal decay and subsequent myelin sheath degradation that occurs distal to a site of nerve injury. Originally identified in the mid-19th century, WD remains a fundamental concept in understanding why focal injuries—such as a localized stroke or a peripheral nerve transection—lead to widespread, long-term neurological deficits. The process is triggered by the interruption of the axonal transport system, leading to a rapid influx of calcium and the activation of calpains. These proteases dismantle the axonal cytoskeleton, causing granular disintegration. Following axonal collapse, the myelin sheath undergoes "beading" and fragmentation. In the peripheral nervous system (PNS), this debris is efficiently cleared by macrophages and Schwann cells, facilitating potential regeneration. In contrast, the central nervous system (CNS) exhibits a protracted clearance phase, where the persistence of inhibitory myelin debris contributes to the failure of functional repair. Recognition of Wallerian Degeneration is vital for correlating remote clinical deficits with primary lesions. Advances in Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) now allow for the early detection of WD, providing critical prognostic information regarding the likelihood of motor or sensory recovery in patients with CNS insults.

 

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Keywords


Wallerian degeneration, axonal fragmentation, myelin clearance, schwann cells, microglia, calpains, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejphs.v8i4.240

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