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| author | Gregory L. Gedman |
| title | Neurofunctional assessment in a neonatal rat model of focal cerebral ischemia following caffeine exposure |
| abstract |
While much is known about perinatal brain injury as a result of focal cerebral ischemia (FCI), there is a need for diagnostic criteria to detect the variable symptomology
as well as effective treatments following injury. There are currently no effective treatments for focal cerebral ischemia in the developing neonate. Recent evidence
suggests that caffeine citrate may offer neuroprotection for ischemic injury. I utilized a novel neonatal rat model of focal cerebral ischemia (FCI) to assess the
behavioral outcomes as well as determine the effects of caffeine citrate on these deficits. FCI animals were significantly impaired in weight gain (p<0.0005), startle
response (p<0.0005), and righting reflex at P10 (p=0.007). Caffeine-treated FCI animals exhibited a marked weight decrease (p<0.0005) compared to FCI animals
treated with saline. No other statistically significant differences with caffeine were found and behavioral data were replicated. The growth impairment shown in
caffeine-treated FCI animals may be an increase in endogenous corticosterone, but further investigation is necessary to assess caffeine's efficacy as a potential
treatment. Such a dramatic loss in weight for FCI animals treated with caffeine is indicative of a negative potentiation of FCI effects and must be investigated further.
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| school | The College of Liberal Arts, Drew University |
| degree | B.A. (May 2014) |
| advisor | Dr. Roger Knowles |
| committee | Dr. Christina McKittrick
Dr. Adam Cassano
Dr. Scott Bonn |
| full text | GLGedman.pdf |
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