title: Perinatal pharmacology: applications for neonatal neurology.
abstract: The principles of clinical pharmacology also apply to neonates, but their characteristics warrant a tailored approach. We focus on aspects of both developmental pharmacokinetics (concentration/time relationship) and developmental pharmacodynamics (concentration/effect relationship) in neonates. We hereby aimed to link concepts used in clinical pharmacology with compound-specific observations (anti-epileptics, analgosedatives) in the field of neonatal neurology. Although in part anecdotal, we subsequently illustrate the relevance of developmental pharmacology in the field of neonatal neurology by a specific intervention (e.g. whole body cooling), specific clinical presentations (e.g. short and long term outcome following fetal exposure to antidepressive agents, the development of new biomarkers for fetal alcohol syndrome) and specific clinical needs (e.g. analgosedation in neonates, excitocytosis versus neuro-apoptosis/impaired synaptogenesis).
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Division of Woman and Child, University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. anne.smits@uzleuven.be
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Smits
authors.forename: Karel
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Allegaert
mesh_terms: D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D009462:Neurology; D010372:Pediatrics; D010601:Pharmacology, Clinical