Hypoxia-associated neonatal seizures and potential therapeutic use of neuropeptide NAP <b>[Abstract in English]</b>

Abstract

Aims: To review clinical aspects, physiopathological data, cellular and molecular processes of hypoxia-associated neonatal seizures, and experimental and clinical evidences for the possible therapeutic use of neuropeptide NAP in this condition. Source of data: A PubMed search was conducted to retrieve studies using the terms NAP, neonatal seizures and perinatal hypoxia. The criterion for article selection was the specificity to the subjects, mainly from 1990 to 2008. Besides, earlier classical studies were also used. Summary of the findings: Risk for seizures is higher during the neonatal period. There are difficulties in seizure diagnosis, limited efficacy of treatment, and potential adverse effects, of currently used anticonvulsants, on the brain development of neonates. Given the necessity of new interventions for the neurological consequences of hypoxiaassociated neonatal seizures, peptide NAP has become a promising candidate due to its neuroprotective action in a variety of animal models and clinical trials. With additional studies, peptide NAP could be employed as a new therapeutic agent for the prevention of cerebral hypoxia and neonatal seizures sequelae in pediatric patients. Conclusions: Although there are positive evidences for the use of peptide NAP in animal models of neurological diseases and preliminary success in clinical trials has been reported, further studies must be taken to understand its caractepeculiarities, such as mechanism of action and clinical viability for patients who suffered from hypoxia-associated neonatal seizures. KEYWORDS: NERVOUS SYSTEM/drug effects; SEIZURES; INFANT, NEWBORN; FETAL HYPOXIA; MODELS, ANIMAL; NEUROPEPTIDES/therapeutic use; NEUROPROTECTIVE AGENTS.