The cerebellar cortex in sudden infant death
Srch, M.
Soudni Lekarstvi 37(3): 33-36
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0371-1854 PMID: 1340637 Document Number: 402835
The author examined the cerebellar cortex in 190 post-mortem examinations, incl. 79 sudden infant deaths and 56 infants under one year with a clearly defined cause of death, six sudden deaths of toddlers and 8 toddlers with other causes of death and 41 death of subjects aged 17 months to 66 years who died from violent deaths. In 50 sudden infant deaths the authors observed a persistence of the external granular layer, as compared with a control group, in 29 infants no difference was detected. The external granular layer persisted in a 16-month-old toddler who died suddenly and in a 22-month old toddler who was drowned. A persisting external granular layer may be a supporting sign of retarded development of the cerebellar cortex in sudden infant deaths.