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Abstract
Objective: To clarify the effects of 3-h hypothermia on learning ability and motor function after growth, employing neonatal rat models with hyperthermic hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).
Methods: We divided all rats into three groups: N (adult rats after neonatal hyperthermic HIE without subsequent 3-h hypothermia), H (adult rats after neonatal hyperthermic HIE with subsequent 3-h hypothermia) and Sham (S) groups. We evaluated their malfunctions with the rota-rod test and the step-down passive avoidance test. We also analyzed the cerebrum width and the hippocampal CA1 area of the insulted hemisphere.
Results: In the rota-rod test, the result of the N group was significantly worse than that of the S group. In the step-down passive avoidance test, the result of the N group was significantly worse than those of the S and H groups. The longest cerebrum width and the hippocampal CA1 area of the insulted hemisphere of the N group were significantly smaller than those of the S and H groups.
Conclusion: Neonatal hyperthermic hypoxic-ischemic insult restricts motor function and learning ability after growth, and such neuronal malfunctions can be relieved by hypothermia for 3 h soon after neonatal HIE.
Acknowledgements
We thank Dr. Kenji Minato, who instructed us regarding the procedures to produce hyperthermic HIE model rats.
Declaration of interest
The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.
This work was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research, No. 24590305, from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan, and also by Daigakuin Hakushikokikatei Kenkyuhi from Osaka Electro-Communication University.