Early neuroprotective effects of Palitoylethanolamide after perinatal asphyxia

HERRERA, MARÍA I.; UDOVIN, LUCAS D.; MENÉNDEZ-MAISSONAVE, C; MARTÍNEZ M; KOLLIKER FRERS, RODOLFO ALBERTO; CAPANI, FRANCISCO

Buenos Aires

Congreso; XXXV Annual Meeting of the Argentina Society for Neuroscience Research; 2020

Perinatal asphyxia (PA) is an obstetric complication associated with poor gas exchange, which continues to be a morbidity factor in neurodevelopment. Therefore, we aimed to study early neuroprotective effects of the endogenous lipid compound, Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), in an experimental model that induces PA in the immature rat brain. PA was induced by placing newborn Sprague Dawley rats in a 37 ° C water bath for 19 minutes. PEA treatment (10 mg/kg) was administered subcutaneously during the first hour of life. Examination of neurobehavioral development was performed from postnatal day 1 (P1) to postnatal day 21 (P21). Hippocampal modifications were analyzed with Immunohistochemistry and Western Blot at P21. During the first 3 weeks of life, there was a significant delay in weight gain, as well as in the appearance of negative geotaxis and the sensory eyelid, auditory startle and air righting reflexes, being the forelimb placing and grasp reflexes the most affected. In the CA1 hippocampal region, PA-induced neuronal morphological damage and biochemical changes were evidenced by a decrease in the microtubule associated protein-2 (MAP-2) reactive area and protein expression level at P21. Treatment with PEA attenuated hippocampal damage and several functional alterations observed in neurodevelopment. These results contribute to the future establishment of early intervention strategies for the developing brain.