title: Brain damage of the preterm infant: new insights into the role of inflammation.
abstract: Epidemiological studies have shown a strong association between perinatal infection/inflammation and brain damage in preterm infants and/or neurological handicap in survivors. Experimental studies have shown a causal effect of infection/inflammation on perinatal brain damage. Infection including inflammatory factors can disrupt programmes of brain development and, in particular, induce death and/or blockade of oligodendrocyte maturation, leading to myelin defects. Alternatively, in the so-called multiple-hit hypothesis, infection/inflammation can act as predisposing factors, making the brain more susceptible to a second stress (sensitization process), such as hypoxic-ischaemic or excitotoxic insults. Epidemiological data also suggest that perinatal exposure to inflammatory factors could predispose to long-term diseases including psychiatric disorders.
authors.forename: Juliette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van Steenwinckel
authors.forename: Anne-Laure
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Schang
authors.forename: Stéphanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sigaut
authors.forename: Vibol
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chhor
authors.affiliation: *Inserm, U1141, F-75019 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Degos
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hagberg
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Baud
authors.forename: Bobbi
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fleiss
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gressens
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007249:Inflammation / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy