Neuroprotection in the Newborn Infant

Chang, Meayoung

Abstract

Brain injury secondary to hypoxia-ischemia is the predominant form of all brain injury encountered in the perinatal period and one of the most commonly recognized causes of severe, long-term neurologic deficits in children. Much progress has been made toward understanding the mechanisms contributing to ongoing brain injury after intrapartum hypoxia ischemia. Multiple pathways of oxidative stress, inflammation, and excitotoxicity lead to both early and late phases of cell damage and death. Therapies targeting these different pathways have shown potential in protecting the brain from ongoing injury. A search for therapies that can prevent injury progression or enhance repair of the immature brain continues and recent evidence suggests that therapies may be combined to enhance the protective and reparative processes, and consideration for the best time to perform these interventions are necessary. In this article, I will focus briefly on the pathogenetic biochemical events leading to neuronal death and then, in particular, the neuroprotective interventions based on these biochemical events.