CEREBRAL PALSY NEWS
.......................................................................................
"Study: Baby Brains Damaged Differently from Adults"
April 11, 2007
A new study has found that the brains of premature infants respond to injury differently than those of adults, and requires different forms of treatment than that given to adults.
The findings may lead to new treatments for baby brain damage, which may significantly reduce the number of new cerebral palsy cases.
The Study
The study, conducted at the Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, examined animal models of brain injury and found for the first time that the developing brain is vulnerable to damage from a nervous system messenger compound – glutamate – which is already known for its association with brain injury in adults.
However, scientists also found damage in the brains of young babies that could not be associated with glutamate, which suggested that different types of treatments are necessary to prevent brain injury in premature babies.
The findings were published in the April 11 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience.
The researchers checked the brain's response to injuries by taking slices from the brains of mice of different ages.
They deprived the brain slices of oxygen or glucose and used drugs to try to block glutamate and prevent injury.
“In the three-day-old mouse brain slices, the blockers couldn't prevent damage to the axons,” said Goldberg. “So something other than glutamate is killing the axons at that point in brain development.”
The Injuries
“These injuries can lead to behavioral problems, developmental delay, cognitive impairment or cerebral palsy,” said the study's senior author, Mark P. Goldberg, M.D., professor of neurobiology and neurology.
“In this study, we've identified a unique vulnerability in the developing brain's white matter that likely contributes to those disabilities. We will be looking for new drug treatments to prevent injury.”
If your child has cerebral palsy and you feel it may be a result of medical malpractice, please contact us today for a complimentary consultation with an experienced attorney who can examine your situation, answer all your questions and help you plan the appropriate recourse.
