<p>Severe birth asphyxia (BA) and the resulting hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) remain one of the main causes of neonatal brain injury and mortality in term infants globally.<span><sup>1</sup></span> Hypoxic–ischemic brain injury progresses gradually, providing windows of opportunity for the development of more effective therapeutic interventions.<span><sup>2, 3</sup></span> Translational experimental research on BA-HIE is essential for identifying novel treatments, ideally focusing on interventions applicable in low -and middle-income countries as well, where BA is most prevalent.<span><sup>1</sup></span> Therefore, experimental models of BA need to be well characterized to understand the systemic and cerebral physiological interactions leading to HIE.</p><p>The pathophysiology of HIE develops in phases.<span><sup>3</sup></span> Depending on its severity, the hypoxic–ischemic insult causes primary neuronal death by thoroughly studied cellular mechanisms. Birth and resuscitation are followed by the latent phase of up to 6–15 h that is characterized by recovery of oxidative energy metabolism, continued excitotoxicity, acute inflammation, and brain hypoperfusion. It provides an optimal window for therapeutic interventions, as the secondary mechanisms of injury are either already progressing or triggered during this phase. Seizures are one of the hallmarks of the secondary phase that lasts up to days and during which multiple pathogenic mechanisms progress. The tertiary phase extends from weeks to years and reveals the motor, cognitive, and behavioral consequences of the insult.</p><p>Despite extensive research into understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms of BA-HIE-induced brain injury and the search for novel neuroprotective interventions, the treatment methods currently in use remain inadequate. For term neonates, therapeutic hypothermia (TH) remains the only established intervention for moderate to severe HIE, available mainly in specialized centers.<span><sup>3</sup></span> Additionally, TH is not globally and equitably accessible, and even where available, term brain injury may result from multiple causes — including acute, subacute, or chronic hypoxia, infection, inflammation, genetic or metabolic disorders, intracranial hemorrhage, and stroke. Therefore, this complexity underscores the need for investigating new approaches to protect the fetal and neonatal brain at term.</p><p>Much of basic and translational research has been conducted using animal models. However, choosing an appropriate model poses several challenges, including species differences, alignment of neurodevelopmental stage with human neonates, and reliable induction of asphyxia insults that replicate intrapartum conditions.<span><sup>4</sup></span> No experimental model perfectly replicates human BA-HIE, which underscores the value of complementary animal models.</p><p>Rats and mice are altricial species with brain development corresponding to preterm and full-ter
{"title":"Fetal and neonatal brain protection at term—The role of translational experimental models","authors":"Juulia Lantto, Panu Kiviranta, Juha Voipio","doi":"10.1111/aogs.70098","DOIUrl":"10.1111/aogs.70098","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Severe birth asphyxia (BA) and the resulting hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) remain one of the main causes of neonatal brain injury and mortality in term infants globally.<span><sup>1</sup></span> Hypoxic–ischemic brain injury progresses gradually, providing windows of opportunity for the development of more effective therapeutic interventions.<span><sup>2, 3</sup></span> Translational experimental research on BA-HIE is essential for identifying novel treatments, ideally focusing on interventions applicable in low -and middle-income countries as well, where BA is most prevalent.<span><sup>1</sup></span> Therefore, experimental models of BA need to be well characterized to understand the systemic and cerebral physiological interactions leading to HIE.</p><p>The pathophysiology of HIE develops in phases.<span><sup>3</sup></span> Depending on its severity, the hypoxic–ischemic insult causes primary neuronal death by thoroughly studied cellular mechanisms. Birth and resuscitation are followed by the latent phase of up to 6–15 h that is characterized by recovery of oxidative energy metabolism, continued excitotoxicity, acute inflammation, and brain hypoperfusion. It provides an optimal window for therapeutic interventions, as the secondary mechanisms of injury are either already progressing or triggered during this phase. Seizures are one of the hallmarks of the secondary phase that lasts up to days and during which multiple pathogenic mechanisms progress. The tertiary phase extends from weeks to years and reveals the motor, cognitive, and behavioral consequences of the insult.</p><p>Despite extensive research into understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms of BA-HIE-induced brain injury and the search for novel neuroprotective interventions, the treatment methods currently in use remain inadequate. For term neonates, therapeutic hypothermia (TH) remains the only established intervention for moderate to severe HIE, available mainly in specialized centers.<span><sup>3</sup></span> Additionally, TH is not globally and equitably accessible, and even where available, term brain injury may result from multiple causes — including acute, subacute, or chronic hypoxia, infection, inflammation, genetic or metabolic disorders, intracranial hemorrhage, and stroke. Therefore, this complexity underscores the need for investigating new approaches to protect the fetal and neonatal brain at term.</p><p>Much of basic and translational research has been conducted using animal models. However, choosing an appropriate model poses several challenges, including species differences, alignment of neurodevelopmental stage with human neonates, and reliable induction of asphyxia insults that replicate intrapartum conditions.<span><sup>4</sup></span> No experimental model perfectly replicates human BA-HIE, which underscores the value of complementary animal models.</p><p>Rats and mice are altricial species with brain development corresponding to preterm and full-ter","PeriodicalId":6990,"journal":{"name":"Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica","volume":"105 1","pages":"4-6"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-11-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12746184/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145556080","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}