Cytoskeleton disruption

Axons are normally elastic, but when rapidly stretched they become brittle, and the axonal cytoskeleton can be broken. It is thought that integrins connected to the extracellular matrix outside the cell and to the cytoskeleton within it can transmit forces from the matrix to the cytoskeleton and cause the latter to tear when the axon is stretched (Ochs et al., 1996).

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diffuse_axonal_injury