Vanishing white matter disease,

Axonal spheroids are a non-specific marker of axonal damage, caused by swelling in the axon as material transported along the axon accumulates. Two of these swellings are circled in green in this H&E-stained preparation from a person with vanishing white matter disease (VWMD). Note also how sparsely myelinated and pale the neuropil appears. Compare to the image of normal neuropil, by clicking the thumbnail below.