• Matthew V Covey and Dorothy E Oorschot.
• Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, University of Otago, 9054 Dunedin, New Zealand.
• Pediatr. Res. 2007 Dec 1;62(6):646-51.

AbstractFundamental questions remain about the optimal temperature, duration, and mode of delivery that provide the best striatal neuroprotection from hypothermia after perinatal hypoxia-ischemia. This study used stereological methods to investigate whether a mild (i.e. 2 degrees C) or a moderate (5 degrees C) decrease in whole body temperature, for 6 h immediately postinsult, was neuroprotective for striatal medium-spiny neurons after perinatal hypoxia-ischemia in the rat. This study also investigated whether moderate hypothermia had any effect on normal striatal development. Hypoxia-ischemia or sham hypoxia-ischemia was induced on postnatal day (PN) 7. Pups were kept either normothermic, mildly hypothermic, or moderately hypothermic for 6 h immediately postinsult. The absolute number of striatal medium-spiny neurons was calculated using modern stereological methods. There was no significant difference in the absolute number of medium-spiny neurons in the right striatum after either mild hypothermia or moderate hypothermia. There was also no significant difference in the absolute number of medium-spiny neurons between the control normothermic and the control moderately hypothermic pups. The latter results suggest that moderate hypothermia for 6 h immediately postinsult may be a safe treatment for striatal medium-spiny neurons. Yet, neither mild nor moderate hypothermia alone for 6 h immediately posthypoxia-ischemia is neuroprotective for striatal medium-spiny neurons.

24 keywords...

hide…