In shaken infant syndrome case, intracranial contusion occurred in which brain region?

In shaken infant syndrome case, intracranial contusion occurred in which brain region?

• A. Frontal Lobe
• B. Brainstem
• C. Occipital Lobe
• D. Cerebellum

Answer: (B)

Shaken infant syndrome injures the brain mainly through rapid acceleration and deceleration, which shear brain tissue and disrupt connections inside the brain. The brainstem stands out as especially vulnerable because it is a compact, relatively fixed structure at the base of the brain; as the cerebral hemispheres and cerebellum move differently during shaking, the brainstem endures the greatest shear forces. This mechanism makes contusion in the brainstem a recognizable, though devastating, injury pattern in severe shaking. Other regions like the frontal or occipital lobes or the cerebellum can be involved in different trauma mechanisms, but the brainstem aligns with the central, diffuse injury typical of shaken infant syndrome.

Shaken infant syndrome injures the brain mainly through rapid acceleration and deceleration, which shear brain tissue and disrupt connections inside the brain. The brainstem stands out as especially vulnerable because it is a compact, relatively fixed structure at the base of the brain; as the cerebral hemispheres and cerebellum move differently during shaking, the brainstem endures the greatest shear forces. This mechanism makes contusion in the brainstem a recognizable, though devastating, injury pattern in severe shaking. Other regions like the frontal or occipital lobes or the cerebellum can be involved in different trauma mechanisms, but the brainstem aligns with the central, diffuse injury typical of shaken infant syndrome.