Developmental factors regulating susceptibility to perinatal brain injury and seizures

Abstract

Purpose of review: To review the unique pattern of developmentally regulated factors that govern the susceptibility of the brain during the preterm and term windows of development.

Recent findings: The neonatal brain shows unique regional differences in susceptibility to injury. In response to the common insult of hypoxia/ischemia, the preterm brain exhibits regional white matter susceptibility, while gray matter is affected in the term brain. Developmental regulation of specific cellular factors is likely to underlie these age-specific differences.

Summary: A better understanding of these factors could contribute to the development of new age-specific therapeutic strategies with clinical potential for disorders such as periventricular leukomalacia in the preterm and neonatal seizures in the term infant.