Neuroprotection in Preterm Infants

Figure 5

Hypoxic-ischemic brain damage was induced in fetal sheep on the 105th day of gestation (term is at 150 days) by occluding the umbilical cord for 25 minutes. One hour after the injury had been inflicted, the animals in study group were given i.v. 3.5 × 10⁶ mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), whereas those in the control group received saline (SAL). In sham-operated animals (Sham) occlusion was not carried out. (a) Diffusion Tensor Images (DTI) measured using magnetic resonance tomography (MRI) presented as fractional anisotropy (FA). Regions of interest SCWM (subcortical white matter) and hippocampus. (b) Mesenchymal stem cells reduce brain damage in the SCWM, measured as FA. Means ± 95% CI () are depicted. Dots show each measurement per animal. (c) Representative image of an aEEG trace from an animal of the control group with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage. The arrows mark seizures. (d) The administration of MSC significantly reduces the number of seizures () (; ) [112].