Histological, histochemical, and histoimmunological studies were conducted on cerebral arteries from three living patients with a recent subarachnoid hemorrhage. There seemed to be a correlation between the severity of vasospasm and the magnitude of pathological alterations. Myofibroblasts and Type V collagen within the medial layer were abundant in vessels showing marked constriction, but were less conspicuous in those arteries showing milder involvement. Intracranial arteries from patients who died from noncerebral causes did not demonstrate these changes. Thus, myofibroblasts and Type V collagen may be related to cerebral vasospasm by holding the damaged vessel in a contracted phase for weeks during the healing period.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.