pseudolaminar necrosis
Selective neuronal loss in specific cortical layers following hypoxic-ischemic injury, creating false laminar patterns.
Full Definition
Pseudolaminar necrosis describes the selective loss of neurons in particular cortical layers following hypoxic-ischemic brain injury, creating the appearance of laminar organization in the damaged cortex. This pattern results from the differential vulnerability of cortical neurons to oxygen deprivation, with layers III, V, and VI being most susceptible. The affected layers show neuronal loss, gliosis, and sometimes microinfarction, while intervening layers may be relatively preserved. Pseudolaminar necrosis is characteristically seen in cases of cardiac arrest, severe hypotension, and other causes of global cerebral hypoxia-ischemia. The term 'pseudo' is used because the lamination is created by pathology rather than normal cortical architecture.
Usage
Usage note: Indicates global hypoxic injury; document layer involvement specifically.
In Context
- "Pseudolaminar necrosis was evident in the watershed cortical regions following the cardiac arrest." — Hypoxic-ischemic injury case
- "The pattern of pseudolaminar necrosis helped confirm the diagnosis of global hypoxic injury." — Forensic neuropathology