Abstract
We have previously shown that an isolated 30 min ischemic episode in fetal sheep results in neuronal loss primarily in the cortex and hippocampus with only minimal damage in the striatum, while a single 10 min ischemia causes trivial neuronal loss (Ann Neurol.31:14, 1992). However, striatal injury occurs in the perinate. Recent evidence in the adult (BrainRes.528:114, 1990) suggests that multiple ischemic episodes have an additive effect on neuronal loss. The objective of this study was to determine whether brief episodes of ischemia repeated at different intervals sensitise the fetal brain to injury and alter the pattern of damage.
Methods: Chronically instrumented fetal sheep were subjected to 3 episodes of 10 min ischemia by transiently occluding the cerebral vasculature, either at ih (n = 8) or 5h (n=5) intervals. Histological outcome was evaluated 72h later.
Results: Repeated insults caused significantly more striatal damage than a single 30 min ischemia (p<0.01). Total cerebral damage was more severe following lh apart than 5h apart occlusions (p<0.01).
Conclusion: Brief repeated insults cause cumulative neuronal loss, particularly if the insults are frequent. Increased striatal damage is a feature of multiple but not single insults.
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Mallard, E., Williams, C., Gunn, A. et al. MULTIPLE ISCHEMIC INSULTS SENSITISE THE FETAL BRAIN TO INJURY AND ALTER THE DISTRIBUTION OF DAMAGE. Pediatr Res 32, 630 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199211000-00150
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199211000-00150