[Neurotrophic factors and brain damage in hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy: a role of nerve growth factor?]

Hypoxic-ischaemic damage in perinatal brain is a major risk factor of a variety of serious human neurological disorders. The mechanisms leading to neuronal damage and death remain largely unknown, but animal models indicated that cell death via apoptotic mechanism(s) might be one important aspect of these events. Neurotrophic factors are protein molecules produced and released by several tissues which seem to play a crucial role not only in growth, differentiation and function of brain neurons, but also in the mechanisms of neuronal death. Indeed, experiments carried out on animal models support the hypothesis that the neurotrophins NGF and BDNF are able to prevent and/or reduce neuronal death induced by hypoxic-ischaemic events. In this brief review, the established and emerging evidences supporting this hypothesis are presented and discussed.