Diffuse axonal injury (DAI) is one of the most common and devastating types of traumatic brain injury, meaning that damage occurs over a more widespread area than in focal brain injury. DAI, which refers to extensive lesions in white matter tracts, is one of the major causes of unconsciousness and persistent vegetative state after head trauma. It occurs in about half of all cases of severe head trauma and also occurs in moderate and mild brain injury.
The outcome is frequently coma, with over 90% of patients with severe DAI never regaining consciousness. Those who do wake up often remain significantly impaired.
Nowadays, other authors state that DAI can occur in every degree of severity from (very) mild or moderate to (very) severe. Concussion may be a milder type of diffuse axonal injury.
Read more about Diffuse Axonal Injury: Mechanism, Characteristics, Diagnosis and Treatment, Potential Treatments, History
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—Marcus Tullius Cicero (106–43 B.C.)