Brain has a new hope for preventing cerebral palsy

A new study from the University of Auckland has found that severe brain injuries that develop slowly after preterm birth may be treatable, and that such injuries can lead to symptoms
such as cerebral palsy.
More than one-third of cases of cerebral palsy are still associated
with preterm birth.
Clinical studies have shown that severe injuries may appear
several weeks after birth.
Dr Christopher Lear, lead author of the new study and a senior study, said: "The current thinking is that this form of brain injury is so severe that it makes no sense to try to understand it, let alone a cure
.
The notion that it might be treatable was revolutionary in itself
.
”

The team at the University of Auckland found in animal models that there was intense local inflammation
before damage occurred.

The point is that taking the recognized anti-inflammatory drug etanercept (also known as "Enbrel") three days after a period of hypoxia can almost completely prevent serious damage from occurring
three weeks after recovery.
This article has just been published in Brain magazine
.
Professor Laura Bennet said: "So far, almost all of the proposed treatments need to be started
within the first 6 hours of life.
This is often unrealistic, when the family is overwhelmed by things before and after birth
.
The window of treatment for at least three days is particularly long
.
More research is needed before this approach can be tested in humans, but this very broad window of treatment gives us real hope that these findings will one day lead to a new treatment for humans to prevent cerebral palsy," Professor Bennet said
.

Tumour necrosis factor blockade after asphyxia in foetal sheep ameliorates cystic white matter injury