[Effect of neonatal anoxia on bilirubin levels in rat brain]

Neonatal anoxia induces a remarkable rise in brain bilirubin levels in the rat. The percentage of rats affected and the bilirubin levels reached are higher between the 3rd and 6th day after the anoxic episode. The accumulation of bilirubin in the brain could reflect the incidence of intracerebral hemorraghes (of different size and localization) caused by anoxia, and can plan an important role in the ethiology of the bilirubin encephalopathy and the neurological damage due to perinatal asphyxia.