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MINI REVIEW article
Front. Cognit.
Sec. Perception
Volume 4 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fcogn.2025.1565759
This article is part of the Research Topic Detrimental Effects of Hypoxia on Brain and Cognitive Functions View all 4 articles
Neonatal Hypoxia: Impacts on the Developing Mind and Brain
Provisionally accepted- Department of Psychology, University of Milan-Bicocca, Milano, Lombardy, Italy
This review examines the cognitive, emotional, and neurofunctional effects of neonatal hypoxia in both the short and long term. Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (NHIE) is a critical condition with profound and lasting effects on brain development and function. This mini review examines the structural, cognitive, behavioral, and psychopathological outcomes associated with NHIE, highlighting its impact on neurodevelopment. NHIE is linked to structural abnormalities such as reduced white matter integrity, ventricular enlargement, and damage to key regions including the basal ganglia, hippocampus, and corpus callosum. These changes correlate with long-term impairments in cognition, memory, and motor skills, alongside elevated risks of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Behavioral and emotional challenges, including anxiety, depression, and mood instability, are also prevalent. This review underscores the significant and multifaceted impact of NHIE on neurodevelopmental and behavioral health, emphasizing the importance of developing methodologies to eliminate or minimize neonatal hypoxic states as much as possible.
Keywords: hypoxia, Infant, Brain, Mental process, neural development, neonatal
Received: 23 Jan 2025; Accepted: 12 Feb 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Shabani and Proverbio. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Nafiseh Shabani, Department of Psychology, University of Milan-Bicocca, Milano, 20126, Lombardy, Italy
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