LEASE REMEMBER THE GENERAL RULES FOR DATING INFARCTS.

• PINK NEURONS 12-18 HOURS

• NEUTROPHILS 24-96 HOURS
• MACROPHAGES PEAK AT 7-14 DAYS
• ASTROCYTOSIS BEGINS AFTER A PERIOD OF DAYS AND PEAKS AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS
• PHAGES BEGIN CLEARING OUT AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS, LEAVING REACTIVE ASTROCYTES BEHIND,
INITIALLY IN GREAT NUMBERS
o THUS LOTS OF ASTROCYTES AND RELATIVELY FEW PHAGES MEANS A LESION THAT IS MANY
WEEKS OR EVEN MONTHS OLD
• A LESION WITH SHEETS OF PHAGES AND RELATIVELY FEW REACTIVE ASTROCYTES IS 1-2 WEEKS
OLD

THESE RULES ABOUT MACROPHAGES AND ASTROCYTES ALSO APPLY TO OTHER DESTRUCTIVE LESIONS OF
THE BRAIN OR CORD (E.G., TRAUMATIC LESIONS).