Shaken baby syndrome is a clinicopathologic syndrome characterized by a triad of findings: subdural hemorrhage, retinal hemorrhage and axonal injury. Although shaking is widely believed to cause the triad, it is not yet entirely clear if shaking without head impact can produce the triad. Initial attempts to test the effect of shaking in mouse pups were unsuccessful as neither controlled continuous vibration nor pulse acceleration caused any of the components of the triad. With no other convenient modeling system available, a pilot study with three adult subhuman primates was conducted. Although a conclusive statement cannot be made, manual shaking did not immediately cause hemorrhagic injuries to the primates’ brains and eyes. Future studies should test for delayed development of axonal injury. In addition, a comparative anatomical study should also be conducted to test the validity of the adult primate as a model system for human infant injuries.

Shaken baby syndrome is a clinicopathologic syndrome characterized by a triad of findings: subdural hemorrhage, retinal hemorrhage and axonal injury. Although shaking is widely believed to cause the triad, it is not yet entirely clear if shaking without head impact can produce the triad. Initial attempts to test the effect of shaking in mouse pups were unsuccessful as neither controlled continuous vibration nor pulse acceleration caused any of the components of the triad. With no other convenient modeling system available, a pilot study with three adult subhuman primates was conducted. Although a conclusive statement cannot be made, manual shaking did not immediately cause hemorrhagic injuries to the primates’ brains and eyes. Future studies should test for delayed development of axonal injury. In addition, a comparative anatomical study should also be conducted to test the validity of the adult primate as a model system for human infant injuries.