Impact of chronic intrauterine inflammation on neurodevelopmental & physiological responses to fetal hypoxia. [ 2003 - 2005 ]

Research Grant

Researchers: A/Pr Timothy Moss (Principal investigator) ,  Dr Ilias Nitsos ,  Prof John Newnham ,  Prof Richard Harding ,  Prof Sandra Rees

Brief description Careful examination of records from hundreds of pregnancies has indicated that low-grade infection or inflammation within the uterus during pregnancy is associated with an increase in the likelihood that the newborn baby will suffer from cerebral palsy. This strong association suggests that inflammation during pregnancy can cause damage to the developing baby's brain. Similar studies have also identified an association betwen events that result in a lack of oxygen supply to the developing brain and cerebral palsy. However the studies that have identified these associations are incapable of determining the mechanisms by which these factors affect brain development. Even though inflammation during pregnancy is common, and is often associated with diseases after birth, experimental studies of the effects of this type of inflammation on the wellbeing of the unborn baby have not been performed. Our research group has developed a unique experimental model, using sheep, which is particularly suitable for determining how inflammation and a lack of oxygen may affect the unborn baby and cause brain damage. By continuously giving a sterile bacterial cell wall preparation (endotoxin) into the amniotic fluid of pregnant sheep we can cause prolonged inflammation with characteristics that are similar to those that accompany inflammation during human pregnancy but different to other models of inflammation within the uterus. We intend to use our model to determine how prolonged inflammation and a lack of oxygen affect the well-being of the developing lamb before birth and how these factors affect brain development. Our proposed study will provide valuable information about how inflammation and a lack of oxygen interact to affect brain development. We expect that when inflammation is present the fetus becomes more vulnerable to the effects of a lack of oxygen, resulting in more severe brain damage occuring than when either factor is experienced alone.

Funding Amount $AUD 280,750.00

Funding Scheme NHMRC Project Grants

Notes Standard Project Grant