Hypoxic-ischemic brain injury is a very important neurological problem of the perinatal period. This importance relates to the general gravity of the lesions and to the relatively large number of affected infants. In the premature infant, this encephalopathy is often…
The focus in this chapter is the assessment of fetal well-being, particularly as a means for the recognition of the infant that may be at risk of hypoxic-ischemic cerebral injury. The identification of an intrauterine disturbance in gas exchange between…
INTRODUCTION This chapter addresses the clinical aspects of the encephalopathy of prematurity, a term coined to characterize the multifaceted, nonhemorrhagic white and gray matter lesions in the premature brain that reflect a combination of destructive and dysmaturational effects (see Chapters…
OVERVIEW OF PATHOGENESIS Our understanding of the pathophysiology of the encephalopathy of prematurity continues to evolve significantly. Whereas the focus of this chapter in the prior edition was principally on cerebral white matter injury (WMI), it has become increasingly evident…
The major neuropathological substrate of human preterm brain injury is the encephalopathy of prematurity , a term coined to characterize the multifaceted gray and white matter lesions in the preterm brain that reflect acquired and developmental factors in combination (…
Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) in the perinatal period represents an important portion of neonatal neurology. To understand the features of HIE, which are discussed extensively in this unit, it is necessary to be cognizant of the physiological and biochemical derangements that…
INTRODUCTION Seizures are distinctive and frequent manifestations of neurological disease in the neonatal period. The incidence of seizures varies with gestational age and birth weight. Estimated incidences range from 5 to 15/1000 live births in very-low-birth-weight infants to 1 to…
CEREBROSPINAL FLUID EXAMINATION Examination of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is an important part of the evaluation of a wide variety of neurological disorders, as noted in appropriate chapters throughout this book. In this section, we focus principally on normal CSF…
INTRODUCTION The neurological evaluation of the newborn comprises, as it does at other ages in pediatric medicine, the history, physical examination, and appropriate specialized studies. Appropriate neurodevelopmental follow-up is the critical next step in the neurological evaluation. The history is…
ENDOCRINE DISORDERS IN PREGNANCY AND THE DEVELOPING FETAL BRAIN Normal fetal brain development is dependent on a highly orchestrated and dynamic endocrine milieu that evolves across gestation. Early in gestation the endocrine environment of the fetus is supported and regulated…