QUANTITATION OF MEDULLARY ASTROGLIOSIS IN SUDDEN-INFANT-DEATH-SYNDROME

One of the few relatively consistent pathologic observations in sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is astrogliosis of the brain stem. Astrogliosis is a nonspecific reactive process and its cause in SIDS, although still uncertain, is postulated to be hypoxia-ischemia. In this study, the distribution of reactive astrocytes throughout the rostral-caudal extent of the medulla has been determined. Although astrogliosis was present throughout the length of the medulla, it reached a maximum at levels 50-75% of total length, with 0% at the pontomedullary junction. Counting every reactive astrocyte through serial sections of the medulla seems unwarranted in view of the nonspecificity of the astrocytic response. This report proposes a practical approach to the quantitation of reactive astrocytes in SIDS by examining a representative sample of medulla midway through its length.