About this Research Topic
Insults to the developing brain frequently cause life-long neurological impairments. Fetal and neonatal brains are especially vulnerable to insults. The most frequent and critical insult during fetal and neonatal periods is hypoxia/ischemia. The second most critical insult is perinatal and postnatal infection/inflammation, which alone can cause brain injuries and exacerbates hypoxic/ischemic brain injuries. The resultant neurological sequelae include cerebral palsy, cognitive impairment, and developmental disorders such as attention-deficit/hyperactive disorder.
The notion that the “developing brain has great self-reparative potential” is not true in most cases. Although the developing brain possesses high plasticity, this plasticity can often be maladaptive and detrimental. Therefore, signs and symptoms in patients change over the years as patients grow older. These drifting signs and symptoms make diagnosis and prediction difficult, and more so for prevention and treatment.
Preventing brain injury during the fetal and neonatal period is a public health priority for infants, their families, and societies. Therapeutic hypothermia for term newborns with neonatal encephalopathy, however, is the only proven preventive measure for developmental brain injury.
We hope to solicit a wide range of manuscripts on original preclinical and clinical studies, as well as reviews on fetal and neonatal brain injuries. Particularly, studies on preventive and therapeutic measures are welcomed. Our editorial team consists of three physician-scientists; Masahiro Tsuji is a pediatric neurologist, Stéphane Sizonenko and Olivier Baud are neonatologists.
The notion that the “developing brain has great self-reparative potential” is not true in most cases. Although the developing brain possesses high plasticity, this plasticity can often be maladaptive and detrimental. Therefore, signs and symptoms in patients change over the years as patients grow older. These drifting signs and symptoms make diagnosis and prediction difficult, and more so for prevention and treatment.
Preventing brain injury during the fetal and neonatal period is a public health priority for infants, their families, and societies. Therapeutic hypothermia for term newborns with neonatal encephalopathy, however, is the only proven preventive measure for developmental brain injury.
We hope to solicit a wide range of manuscripts on original preclinical and clinical studies, as well as reviews on fetal and neonatal brain injuries. Particularly, studies on preventive and therapeutic measures are welcomed. Our editorial team consists of three physician-scientists; Masahiro Tsuji is a pediatric neurologist, Stéphane Sizonenko and Olivier Baud are neonatologists.
Keywords: fetal brain injury, neonatal encephalopathy, hypoxia-ischemia, treatment
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