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Extracellular glutamate levels and neuropathology in cerebral white matter following repeated umbilical cord occlusion in the near term fetal sheep
- Source :
- Neuroscience. 116:705-714
- Publication Year :
- 2003
- Publisher :
- Elsevier BV, 2003.
-
Abstract
- Umbilical cord occlusion causes fetal hypoxemia which can result in brain injury including damage to cerebral white matter. Excessive glutamate release may be involved in the damage process. This study examined the relation between extracellular glutamate levels in the cerebral white matter of the ovine fetus during and after intermittent umbilical cord occlusion and the degree of resultant fetal brain injury. Fetal sheep underwent surgery for chronic catheterisation and implantation of an intra-cerebral microdialysis probe at 130 days of gestation (term approximately 147 days). Four days after surgery (day 1), seven fetuses were subjected to 5x2 min umbilical cord occlusions, and on the following day (day 2) they were subjected to either 4 or 5x4 min umbilical cord occlusions; seven fetuses served as controls. Microdialysis samples were collected before, during and after the umbilical cord occlusions to determine extracellular glutamate levels in the cerebral white matter. Fetal blood gas status was measured and the fetal electrocorticogram was recorded continuously. During the periods of umbilical cord occlusions on both days 1 and 2, fetal arterial oxygen saturation, arterial partial pressure of oxygen and arterial pH decreased (P0.05) while arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide increased (P0.05). All fetuses showed episodes of isoelectric electrocortical activity during umbilical cord occlusions on both days 1 and 2. In fetuses with patent microdialysis probes there were marked increases of glutamate efflux in the cerebral white matter following umbilical cord occlusion. Fetal brains were removed at autopsy on day 5 and subjected to histological assessment. Brain damage was observed in all fetuses exposed to cord occlusion, particularly in the periventricular white matter, with the most extensive damage occurring in the fetuses with the greatest increases in glutamate levels. We conclude that, in the unanesthetised fetus in utero, glutamatergic processes are associated with umbilical cord occlusion-induced brain damage in the cerebral white matter.
- Subjects :
- Telencephalon
Microdialysis
Cord
Glutamic Acid
Brain damage
Nerve Fibers, Myelinated
Umbilical cord
Umbilical Cord
White matter
Fetus
Pregnancy
Animals
Medicine
Umbilical Cord Occlusion
Sheep
Periventricular leukomalacia
business.industry
General Neuroscience
medicine.disease
medicine.anatomical_structure
Anesthesia
Female
medicine.symptom
Extracellular Space
business
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 03064522
- Volume :
- 116
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Neuroscience
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....00dd6b0abb7a7e607e47074886bc02f7