Glucocorticoids and Preterm Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Injury: The Good and the Bad

Figure 2

Time course changes in EEG power (dB, decibels) before and after two injections of dexamethasone (filled squares) or saline (open squares) 24 hours apart. The injections for each group are marked by dotted lines (DEX-1 and DEX-2). A significant increase in EEG power was seen after both DEX-1 and DEX-2, but the effects of DEX were most significant after the first injection. Peak amplitude changes were around 12 hours, and the increase in amplitude was mediated by an overall increase in normal sleep architecture waveforms and the appearance of seizures (see Figure 3). Data are one hour means ± SEM from six hours before until 120 hours after DEX-1.