The present invention relates to a method of screening for a compound decreasing axonal injury, comprising the steps of (a) exposing the head of a non-human mammal to a pressure of 12 to 17 psi in a shock tube for a time t2 calculated by the formula t2=m1/m2-1/3x t1, wherein m2 is the weight of the brain of the non-human mammal, m1 is 480 mg and t1 is 1.0 to 2.0 msec, (b) administering a test compound to the non-human mammal obtained in (a), and/or (b) administering a test compound to the non-human mammal before step (a), and (c) measuring the fractional anisotropy in the brain of the non-human mammal by diffusion tensor imaging after performing steps (a) and (b), or (a) and (b), or (a), (b) and (b), wherein a test compound is a compound decreasing axonal injury if (i) in the case of (b) and/or (b): the fractional anisotropy measured in step (c) is increased as compared to the fractional anisotropy measured in the brain of a control non-human mammal of the same species which has been exposed to pressure as defined in step (a), and/or (ii) in the case of (b): the fractional anisotropy measured in step (c) is increased as compared to the fractional anisotropy measured in the brain of said non-human mammal after step (a) and before the administration of the test compound in step (b).
