Abstract
Background: Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a neurological condition that leads to motor disabilities and even death in neonates. Unfortunately, few therapeutic alternatives can contribute to brain recovery after HIE damage. Cerebrolysin is a neuropeptide mixture that exerts neuroprotective and neurotrophic effects on injured brain tissue after systemic administration.
Aims: This study evaluated the short- and long-term beneficial effects of Cerebrolysin administration in a rat model of HIE.
Methods: Neonatal 7-day-old rats were subjected to hypoxia-ischemia injury and then intraperitoneally administered Cerebrolysin (10 mL/kg of body weight) once a day for 7 days, from postnatal days 8 to 14. Growth development, blood-brain barrier permeability, and neurobehavioral tests were performed.
Results: Cerebrolysin administration after hypoxic-ischemic insult minimized brain damage, edema and increased cellular viability. Furthermore, this neuroprotective effect improves some motor abnormalities and, during adulthood, reverses the long-term memory acquisition deficit caused by HIE.
Conclusion: Repeated Cerebrolysin administration can safely and effectively reduce HIE motor disabilities and reverse long-term memory acquisition deficits in neonatal rats.