Stem cells in neonatal brain disorders

Perinatal hypoxic-ischemic injury (HII) with subsequent neonatal encephalopathy remains a major cause of long-term adverse neurological outcome. Hypothermia has recently been shown to protect infants with moderate encephalopathy. However, a large number of patients still survive with severe deficits and additional therapies are highly warranted. Furthermore, hypothermia has not been sufficiently investigated in preterm infants with HII or preterm brain injury due to safety concerns. In addition cooling has to be induced within the first 6 hours following the insult to be beneficial. Therefore the pathophysiologi…