Abstract
Similar types of tissue reaction result as a final common pathway from a wide array of different internal brain pathophysiological states and external insults. Since these cellular and tissue reactions are largely independent of the specific type of insults, they are, therefore, non-specific. The tissue reactions are to be differentiated according to their specific pathogenetic mechanisms, though these mechanisms as well as the phenomena are overlapping as demonstrated in Fig. 4.1; brain ischemia as a type of metabolic disturbance, edema, intracranial pressure, necrosis, herniation and inflammation are influencing themselves and are dependent on each other. Some will be mentioned again in later chapters as viewed from different forensic aspects; therefore, a certain redundancy is unavoidable. Immediately following, we offer a survey of the individual types of reaction and their fundamental pathophysiological principles and morphology.