When the brain's wiring breaks

Among all the bad things that can happen to the brain when it is severely jolted - in a car accident, for example - one of the most common and worrisome is axon damage. Axons are the long stalks that grow out of the bodies of neurons. When the brain receives a strong blow, axons can break or swiftly degenerate. Researchers have revealed new molecular details of this and a path toward repair.