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Neuroprotective effect of levetiracetam on hypoxic ischemic brain injury in neonatal rats

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Abstract

Purpose

Hypoxic-ischemic brain injury that occurs in the perinatal period is one of the leading causes of mental retardation, visual and auditory impairment, motor defects, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and death in neonates. The severity of apoptosis that develops after ischemic hypoxia and reperfusion is an indication of brain injury. Thus, it may be possible to prevent or reduce injury with treatments that can be given before the reperfusion period following hypoxia and ischemia. Levetiracetam is a new-generation antiepileptic drug that has begun to be used in the treatment of epilepsy.

Methods

The present study investigated the effects of levetiracetam on neuronal apoptosis with histopathological and biochemical tests in the early period and behavioral experiments in the late period.

Results

This study showed histopathologically that levetiracetam reduces the number of apoptotic neurons and has a neuroprotective effect in a neonatal rat model of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in the early period. On the other hand, we demonstrated that levetiracetam dose dependently improves behavioral performance in the late period.

Conclusions

Based on these results, we believe that one mechanism of levetiracetam’s neuroprotective effects is due to increases in glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase enzyme levels. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to show the neuroprotective effects of levetiracetam in a neonatal rat model of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury using histopathological, biochemical, and late-period behavioral experiments within the same experimental group.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Mersin University Scientific and Research Foundation [BAP-TF. DTB (MK) 2011-5(TU)].

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no potential conflicts of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Neurology, Mersin University School of Medicine, 33060, Zeytinlibahce, Mersin, Turkey

    Mustafa Komur & Cetin Okuyaz

  2. Department of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Mersin University School of Medicine, Zeytinlibahce, Mersin, Turkey

    Yalcin Celik

  3. Department of Physiology, Mersin University School of Medicine, Ciftlikkoy, Mersin, Turkey

    Bora Resitoglu & Huseyin Beydagi

  4. Department of Pathology, Mersin University School of Medicine, Zeytinlibahce, Mersin, Turkey

    Ayse Polat

  5. Department of Biochemistry, Mersin University School of Medicine, Zeytinlibahce, Mersin, Turkey

    Senay Balci & Lulufer Tamer

  6. Department of Statistics, Mersin University School of Medicine, Ciftlikkoy, Mersin, Turkey

    Semra Erdogan

Authors
  1. Mustafa Komur
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  2. Cetin Okuyaz
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  3. Yalcin Celik
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mustafa Komur.

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Komur, M., Okuyaz, C., Celik, Y. et al. Neuroprotective effect of levetiracetam on hypoxic ischemic brain injury in neonatal rats. Childs Nerv Syst 30, 1001–1009 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-014-2375-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-014-2375-x

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