Cellular basis of anoxic-ischemic brain injury.

Anoxic-ischemic cerebral disease is an important primary cause of morbidity and mortality, and also complicates a number of systemic diseases. Its clinical manifestations, such as hemiparesis and coma, represent cellular injury sustained by the complex, inhomogeneous brain. An understanding of the nature and pattern of anoxic-ischemic cerebral injury, and of the logical basis for avenues of therapy, is necessary to the management of patients with the various anoxic-ischemic disorders.