New Acid Reflux Drug Helps Newborn Babies Recover from Brain Injury

Targeting the histamine H2 receptor with medications used to treat acid reflux in infants could help newborns recover from hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). The study was published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine (JEM). "However, very few drug targets capable of inducing oligodendrocyte formation have been identified," says Weiwei Hu, a professor at Zhejiang University School of Medicine in Hangzhou and the senior author of the new study.

Study Details

• Histamine H2 receptor protein inhibits mature oligodendrocytes' formation capable of restoring the brain's white matter after injury.
• Mice lacking the histamine H2 receptor recovered better from neonatal hypoxia-ischemia.
• The mice regenerated more of their white matter and showed improved motor skills and cognitive function.
• Treating mice with cimetidine improved the animals' recovery from hypoxia-ischemia.

"Given the present application of histamine H2 receptor blockers in preterm and full-term infants, our study suggests that they could also be a safe and effective treatment for neonatal HIE," Hu says.

Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE)

• HIE is a condition that affects over 1 in 1,000 live births and can cause life-long neurological disabilities.
• HIE develops during pregnancy or from complications during labor and delivery.
• Premature infants at high risk of the disorder.
• It causes severe and long-lasting neurological disabilities, namely cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and cognitive impairment.

Source-Medindia