Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
James DS. Aridas, Tamara Yawno, Amy E. Sutherland, Ilias Nitsos, Flora Y. Wong, Rod W. Hunt, Michael Ditchfield, Michael C. Fahey, Atul Malhotra, Euan M. Wallace, Alistair J. Gunn, Graham Jenkin, Suzanne L. Miller
Summary: This study found that combined use of TH and MLT for neonatal encephalopathy in newborn lambs provides significantly greater neuroprotection than either treatment alone.
JOURNAL OF PINEAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ryszard Pluta, Wanda Furmaga-Jablonska, Slawomir Januszewski, Agata Tarkowska
Summary: Perinatal asphyxia is a major cause of neurodegeneration in full-term newborns, leading to hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, which is the leading cause of mortality in term newborns. Despite the standard use of hypothermia, there is still a need for effective treatment strategies. Recent research suggests that melatonin, a natural compound with neuroprotective properties, may be used in the treatment of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. However, clinical trials on a sufficient number of newborns have not yet been conducted, and further research is needed to explore the advantages and limitations of melatonin in perinatal asphyxia treatment.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
V. Cardozo, L. Vaamonde, A. Parodi-Talice, M. J. Zuluaga, D. Agrati, M. Portela, A. Lima, F. Blasina, F. Dajas, G. Bedo
Summary: Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) leads to mortality and long-term neurologic morbidities in newborns, involving energy failure, excitotoxicity, and oxidative stress. Quercetin has been shown to have neuroprotective effects in perinatal asphyxia models, reducing mortality and affecting protein expression. The glycolytic pathway is strongly regulated by quercetin in both rat and piglet models, indicating potential neuroprotective mechanisms.
NEUROCHEMISTRY INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Review
Cell Biology
Nhi Thao Tran, Sharmony B. Kelly, Rod J. Snow, David W. Walker, Stacey J. Ellery, Robert Galinsky
Summary: Creatine shows promise as a neuroprotective intervention for HIE, but there are still key knowledge gaps and improvements needed in preclinical studies before it can be considered for human fetal/neonatal neuroprotection trials.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Daniel Mota-Rojas, Dina Villanueva-Garcia, Alfonso Solimano, Ramon Muns, Daniel Ibarra-Rios, Andrea Mota-Reyes
Summary: Perinatal asphyxia is a pathological condition caused by inadequate oxygen supply to internal organs, leading to hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy as its clinical manifestation. The search for biomarkers and treatment strategies to predict the severity of lesions is ongoing, with hypothermia proving to be an effective neuroprotective strategy.
Review
Cell Biology
Lei Xie, Hang Wu, Xiaohong Huang, Tengbo Yu
Summary: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a sudden disruption to the spinal neural tissue, causing loss of motor control and sensory function. Melatonin, a hormone with antioxidant properties, has been shown to have neuroprotective effects in SCI, reducing inflammation, oxidative stress, and cell death. This review highlights the potential applications of melatonin in SCI rehabilitation, including its synergistic effects with drugs, rehabilitation training, and stem cell therapy.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Lia Hellwig, Muriel Brada, Ulrike Held, Cornelia Hagmann, Peter Bode, Karl Frontzek, Bernhard Frey, Barbara Brotschi, Beate Grass
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the association of perinatal sentinel events, placental pathology, and MRI with moderate/severe HIE. The results suggest that chronic placental pathologies might be associated with more severe brain injury and further research is needed.
JOURNAL OF PERINATOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Junjie Wang, Shiqi Gao, Cameron Lenahan, Yichen Gu, Xiaoyu Wang, Yuanjian Fang, Weilin Xu, Haijian Wu, Yuanbo Pan, Anwen Shao, Jianmin Zhang
Summary: Stroke is a devastating disease with high mortality and disability worldwide. Oxidative stress plays a critical role in stroke-induced injury, and melatonin, as an antioxidant, shows promising potential in the treatment of stroke.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Cheng-Ta Hsieh, Ting-Lin Yen, Yu-Hao Chen, Jing-Shiun Jan, Ruei-Dun Teng, Chih-Hao Yang, Jui-Ming Sun
Summary: Age is an important predictor of unfavorable prognosis after brain trauma, and the effective treatment for geriatric TBI is currently limited. Through experiments on middle-aged animals, it has been found that thyroid hormones play a role in regulating TBI susceptibility, and thyroid dysfunction may be a crucial pathology in the increased severity of TBI in older individuals. By surgically removing the thyroid glands, it has been shown that the endogenous thyroid hormone-dependent compensatory regulation of antioxidant events can modulate individual TBI susceptibility, and acute melatonin treatment shows potential for improving TBI-susceptible phenotypes in aged individuals with thyroid dysfunction.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Meihuan Zhao, Yuan Dai, Ping Li, Jie Wang, Tengyun Ma, Shijun Xu
Summary: The ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions of Zanthoxylum bungeanum were found to significantly relieve d-galactose-induced memory deficit in mice. Ethyl acetate was able to protect neurons, alleviate oxidative damage, and inhibit microglia activation in aging mice. Additionally, the EA fraction showed inhibitory effects on the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway and GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis in both aging mice and LPS/ATP-induced BV-2 microglial cells.
Article
Neurosciences
Nhi T. Tran, Anna M. Muccini, Nadia Hale, Mary Tolcos, Rod J. Snow, David W. Walker, Stacey J. Ellery
Summary: Background: Creatine supplementation during pregnancy is a potential treatment for perinatal hypoxic brain injury. This study investigated the effects of acute hypoxia and creatine supplementation on neuropathology in fetal sheep. Results: Acute hypoxia caused mild injury to multiple brain regions, but creatine supplementation did not ameliorate these changes. However, creatine supplementation did affect gene expression that may impact in utero cerebral development.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Cell Biology
Juan Rodriguez, Tao Li, Yiran Xu, Yanyan Sun, Changlian Zhu
Summary: This review focuses on the molecular mechanisms of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, specifically highlighting the importance of apoptosis-inducing factor. Understanding the roles of this factor is crucial for developing more effective treatments for perinatal brain injury. Additionally, the interaction of apoptosis-inducing factor with other proteins may provide promising therapeutic targets for improving outcomes after perinatal brain injury.
NEURAL REGENERATION RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anne Lee Solevag, Svetlana N. Zykova, Per Medboe Thorsby, Georg M. Schmolzer
Summary: Metabolomics plays a crucial role in assessing oxidative stress in perinatal asphyxia, with potential diagnostic and prognostic implications. While blood, plasma, and urine are commonly used for metabolomics analyses, the potential of saliva remains underexplored. Accumulating evidence supports the development of bedside methods to measure oxidative stress metabolites, with saliva as a candidate biofluid for point-of-care diagnostics.
Article
Biology
Benedicte Grebstad Tune, Maria Melheim, Monica Asegg-Atneosen, Baukje Dotinga, Ola Didrik Saugstad, Ronnaug Solberg, Lars Oliver Baumbusch
Summary: This study explores selected long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and their protein-coding target genes using a piglet model of perinatal asphyxia. The results show significant changes in lncRNA expression, mainly in the cortex and hippocampus, induced by a brief exposure to 100% oxygen for 3 minutes. The findings suggest that lncRNAs are part of the molecular response to hypoxia-induced damage during perinatal asphyxia, and a better understanding of their regulatory properties may provide novel targets and intervention strategies in the future.
Article
Neurosciences
Robert Galinsky, Simerdeep K. Dhillon, Sharmony B. Kelly, Guido Wassink, Joanne O. Davidson, Christopher A. Lear, Lotte G. van den Heuij, Laura Bennet, Alistair J. Gunn
Summary: Maternal magnesium sulphate (MgSO4) treatment before preterm birth for neuroprotection is controversial due to limited evidence of long-term neuroprotection. In this study, preterm fetal sheep received MgSO4 infusion before hypoxia-ischaemia induced by umbilical cord occlusion. Although MgSO4 showed moderate improvements in white and grey matter gliosis and myelin density, it did not improve EEG maturation, neuronal or oligodendrocyte survival.
JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LONDON
(2023)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Kylie Crompton, Iona Novak, Michael Fahey, Nadia Badawi, Katherine J. Lee, Francoise Mechinaud-Heloury, Priya Edwards, Paul Colditz, Trisha Soosay Raj, Janet Hough, Xiaofang Wang, Simon Paget, Kuang-Chih Hsiao, Peter Anderson, Dinah Reddihough
Summary: This study investigated the safety and preliminary efficacy of sibling cord blood cell infusion in children with cerebral palsy. The findings suggest that sibling cord blood cell infusion is relatively safe for children with cerebral palsy when conducted in appropriate facilities, but the improvement in motor function and upper extremity skills is limited.
Article
Developmental Biology
Yann W. Yap, Natalie J. Hannan, Euan M. Wallace, Sarah A. Marshall
Summary: Nrf proteins have been found to play a crucial role in placental-derived oxidative stress-induced pregnancy disorders. Successful silencing of Nrf proteins in human cells has been achieved for further research.
Review
Pediatrics
Rana Sawires, Jim Buttery, Michael Fahey
Summary: This article provides an overview of febrile seizures in young children, including their pathophysiology and risk factors. It also outlines the appropriate clinical approach for this condition.
FRONTIERS IN PEDIATRICS
(2022)
Review
Clinical Neurology
S. K. Goergen, M. C. Fahey
Summary: This study examined fetal MR imaging findings in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). The results showed that normal fetal MR imaging findings were more common at a lower gestational age, and abnormal findings were more common at a higher gestational age. Various phenotypes were observed, including subependymal nodules, cortical/subcortical lesions, and foramen of Monro nodules. Fetal hemimegalencephaly and megalencephaly should prompt fetal echocardiography. Cardiac rhabdomyoma was not always present at the time of fetal MR imaging.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF NEURORADIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Yana A. Wilson, Hayley Smithers-Sheedy, Katarina Ostojic, Emma Waight, Michael C. Kruer, Michael C. Fahey, Gareth Baynam, Jozef Gecz, Nadia Badawi, Sarah McIntyre
Summary: This study defines clinical common data elements (CDEs) and a mandatory minimum data set (MDS) for genomic studies of cerebral palsy (CP) through an online Delphi survey, providing a standardized foundation for phenotype data in CP genomic studies and facilitating international collaborations and data pooling.
DEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE AND CHILD NEUROLOGY
(2022)
Review
Neurosciences
Arrabella R. King, Mahmudul Hassan Al Imam, Sarah McIntyre, Catherine Morgan, Gulam Khandaker, Nadia Badawi, Atul Malhotra
Summary: This scoping review aimed to explore the tools used in low- and middle-income countries for the early diagnosis of cerebral palsy. The study found a lack of published literature on this topic and highlighted the need for further research to determine accurate and feasible diagnostic tools in resource-limited settings.
Article
Pediatrics
Mindi Fernando, Nalin Choudhary, Beena Kumar, Natasha Juchkov, Kathryn Shearer, Stacey J. Ellery, Miranda Davies-Tuck, Atul Malhotra
Summary: Maternal region of birth did not have a significant impact on placental pathology in babies born small, despite some differences in neonatal outcomes.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Monica S. Cooper, Mark T. Mackay, Charuta Dagia, Michael C. Fahey, Katherine B. Howell, Dinah Reddihough, Susan Reid, A. Simon Harvey
Summary: The study investigated 256 children with cerebral palsy caused by vascular injury and found that 34% of them had epilepsy. Most of the children had age-limited epilepsy syndromes commonly seen in normally developing children, which has important implications for treatment and prognosis.
Article
Pediatrics
Rachel A. Hill, Atul Malhotra, Vathana Sackett, Katrina Williams, Michael Fahey, Kirsten R. Palmer, Rod W. Hunt, Hayley Darke, Izaak Lim, Vesna Newman-Morris, Jeanie L. Y. Cheong, Clare Whitehead, Joanne Said, Paulo Bignardi, Evelin Muraguchi, Luiz Carlos C. Fernandes Jr, Carlos Oliveira, Suresh Sundram
Summary: This study aims to investigate the long-term impacts of SARS-CoV-2 exposure on children exposed in utero. Women infected with SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy will be recruited and compared with non-exposed women. By conducting long-term observations and comparisons, we hope to reveal the potential effects of in utero exposure to SARS-CoV-2 on neurodevelopment.
Article
Neurosciences
Alex M. Pagnozzi, Liza van Eijk, Kerstin Pannek, Roslyn N. Boyd, Susmita Saha, Joanne George, Samudragupta Bora, DanaKai Bradford, Michael Fahey, Michael Ditchfield, Atul Malhotra, Helen Liley, Paul B. Colditz, Stephen Rose, Jurgen Fripp
Summary: Infants born very preterm face neurodevelopmental challenges and early identification through clinical assessment and MRI can enable targeted interventions. This study used a prospective cohort of preterm infants and identified early MRI biomarkers for neurodevelopmental outcomes using advanced imaging techniques. The results demonstrated the utility of MRI prior to term equivalent age for predicting outcomes and initiating early interventions.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Timothy Nguyen, Elisha Purcell, Madeleine J. J. Smith, Tayla R. R. Penny, Madison C. B. Paton, Lindsay Zhou, Graham Jenkin, Suzanne L. L. Miller, Courtney A. A. McDonald, Atul Malhotra
Summary: Umbilical cord blood-derived cell therapy significantly improves multiple outcomes in preclinical models of perinatal brain injury, including decreased infarct size, inhibition of apoptosis, alleviation of astrogliosis, reduction of microglial activation and neuroinflammation, as well as increased neuron and oligodendrocyte numbers, and improved motor function. However, the findings are limited by low certainty of evidence.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Rana Sawires, Joshua Osowicki, Hazel Clothier, Michael Fahey, Jim Buttery
Summary: Beginning in early 2022, severe pediatric hepatitis clusters were reported in Europe and the United States. No specific cause has been identified, although human adenovirus 41 has been proposed in some cases. In Victoria, Australia, there were positive associations between pediatric hepatitis clusters and respiratory viruses, but no association with respiratory adenoviruses or SARS-CoV-2. The current hepatitis outbreak is novel and unlikely to be related to respiratory adenoviruses or SARS-CoV-2.
PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASE JOURNAL
(2023)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Clare L. van Eyk, Michael C. Fahey, Jozef Gecz
Summary: The diagnosis of cerebral palsy is currently based on clinical observations only and does not consider aetiology or pathology. This study reviews the current state of genomic testing in cerebral palsy and emphasizes the benefits of a 'genotype-first' approach. It is found that around one-third of cases have an underlying genetic cause, which overlaps with other neurodevelopmental disorders. The study highlights the importance of considering aetiology during clinical diagnosis and the opportunity for comprehensive genomic testing in early diagnosis of cerebral palsy.
NATURE REVIEWS NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Angela Guzys, Susan M. Reid, Christie Bolch, Dinah S. Reddihough, Mark Teoh, Ricardo Palma-Dias, Alison Fung, Stephen Cole, Ryan Hodges, Michael Fahey, Susan P. Walker
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the presence of neurodevelopmental disabilities in child survivors of monochorionic pregnancies managed by placental laser photocoagulation in Victoria, Australia. The study found that approximately 31% of the survivors had neurodevelopmental impairment, with speech/language disorders, attention deficit (hyperactivity) disorders, and fine motor impairment being the most common. Neonatal length of stay was identified as the highest risk factor for impairment.
BMC PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Cell & Tissue Engineering
M. Smith, M. Finch-Edmondson, S. Miller, A. Webb, M. Fahey, G. Jenkin, M. Paton, C. McDonald
