How Do You Spell WALLERIAN DEGENERATION?

1. Wallerian degeneration is a physiological process that involves the degeneration and breakdown of nerve fibers or axons after they have been injured or severed. It is named after the British neurophysiologist Augustus Waller, who first described this phenomenon.

   When a nerve fiber is injured or cut, Wallerian degeneration is triggered as part of the body's natural response to protect and repair damaged nerve tissue. The process involves a series of events that occur in sequential stages. Initially, the axon distal to the injury site undergoes an acute response, which includes swelling and disconnection from the neuron's cell body. This is followed by the degeneration of the axon, including the breakdown of its myelin sheath.

   As Wallerian degeneration progresses, specialized cells called macrophages invade the site and remove the remnants of the degenerated axon. At the same time, the injured neuron attempts to regenerate by sending out new sprouts from the proximal stump. These sprouts may grow and attempt to reconnect with their original targets, or they may form inappropriate connections called "neuroma."

   The speed and success of axonal regeneration during Wallerian degeneration depend on various factors, such as the type and severity of the injury, the location in the nervous system, and the age and overall health of the individual.

   In summary, Wallerian degeneration is a process where nerve fibers undergo a series of degenerative changes after getting injured or severed. This phenomenon is an essential part of the body's attempt to repair damaged nerve tissue.

2. Secondary d. following division, compression, or other injury of a nerve.

   A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.

Common Misspellings for WALLERIAN DEGENERATION

The term "Wallerian degeneration" is named after Augustus Volney Waller, a British neurophysiologist who first described the phenomenon in 1850.

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