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Neurobehavioral Assessments in a Mouse Model of Neonatal Hypoxic-ischemic Brain Injury
Published on: November 24, 2017
Hyperbaric oxygenation promotes neural stem cell proliferation and protects the learning and memory ability in
Lixia Wei1, Jinshen Wang2, Yuntao Cao3
1Department of Neurology, Children's Medical Center, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University Jinan 250012, China ; Department of Pediatrics, Liaocheng People's Hospital Liaocheng 252000, China.
Insights
Hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO) therapy shows promise for treating neonatal hypoxic ischemic brain damage (HIBD). HBO treatment improved brain pathology and restored learning and memory function in affected rat pups.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neonatal Medicine
- Hyperbaric Medicine
Background:
- Neonatal hypoxic ischemic brain damage (HIBD) is a severe condition with significant long-term neurological consequences.
- Current treatments for HIBD are limited, highlighting the need for effective therapeutic strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO) as a treatment for neonatal HIBD.
- To assess the impact of HBO on brain pathology, neurogenesis, and cognitive function in a rat model of HIBD.
Main Methods:
- Seven-day-old rat pups were subjected to hypoxia-ischemia (HI) and divided into control and HI-HBO groups. A sham group was included for baseline comparison.
- Pathological changes were assessed using hematoxylin-eosin staining. Immunohistochemistry identified Nestin and BrdU positive cells in the hippocampus.
- Learning and memory were evaluated using the Morris water maze test.
Main Results:
- HI rats exhibited significant brain tissue damage, including disordered pyramidal cells and glial cell proliferation.
- HBO treatment in HI rats mitigated pathological changes, with outcomes similar to the sham group.
- Nestin and BrdU positive cells significantly increased in the HI-HBO group compared to controls, indicating enhanced neurogenesis.
- Learning and memory functions were significantly impaired in HI rats but improved to near-sham levels following HBO therapy.
Conclusions:
- Hyperbaric oxygenation therapy demonstrates significant neuroprotective effects in a neonatal HIBD model.
- HBO treatment promotes neurogenesis and restores cognitive functions, suggesting its potential as an effective therapy for neonatal HIBD.
Abstract:
The aim of our study was to evaluate whether hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO) was an effective therapy for neonatal hypoxic ischemic brain damage (HIBD). Seven-day-old rat pups were divided into 3 groups: sham, hypoxia-ischemia (HI) control and HI-HBO group. HBO was administered for HI rats daily. The pathologic changes in brain tissues were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (H-E) staining. The immunohistochemical staining was applied to detect the Nestin and 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU) positive cells in hippocampal dentate gyrus region. The learning and memory function of rats was examined by Morris water maze. The HI rats showed obvious pathologic changes accompanied by levels decreasing and disorder arrangement of pyramidal cells, glial cells proliferation in postoperative, and nerve nuclei broken, while pathologic changes of rats in sham group was approximate to that in the HI + HBO group that was opposite to the HI group. Compared with the sham group, the Nestin and BrdU positive cells in HBO + HI group at different time points increased significantly (P < 0.01). Learning and memory function of rats in HI group was poor compared with the sham/HI + HBO group (P < 0.01), while that in HI + HBO group was approximate to that in sham group (P > 0.05). HBO treatment improved the learning and memory ability of the HI rats. HBO therapy may be effective for neonatal HIBD treatment.
