Hypothermia enhances protective effect of MK-801 against hypoxic/ischemic brain damage in infant rats.
Accumulating evidence suggests that the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) subtype of glutamate receptor may play an important role in hypoxic/ischemic (H/I) brain damage. Accordingly, it has been shown that the NMDA antagonist, MK-801, partially protects the infant rat brain against H/I damage. Here we show that reducing the body temperature of the infant rat also confers partial protection against H/I brain damage and that mild hypothermia plus MK-801 treatment provides total protection against such damage. Relevance of these findings to the prevention of perinatal brain damage in humans is discussed.
Ikonomidou
C
C
Department of Psychiatry, Washington University Medical School, St. Louis, MO 63110.
Mosinger
J L
JL
Olney
J W
JW
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003986:Dibenzocycloheptenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate; D007036:Hypothermia, Induced; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D003986:Dibenzocycloheptenes; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate