Examining the Effects of Oxygen Exposure on the Developing Brain Through Murine Models

Abstract

Hyperoxia is one of the key players contributing preterm brain injury. Researchers typically use rodent models to pinpoint the underlying pathologic alterations in hyperoxic brain damage. When evaluating the neurological effects of neonatal hyperoxic brain injury in an experimental model, choosing the appropriate assessment techniques is crucial. The goal of this article is to review the behavioral and learning tests that can be used to determine the impact of hyperoxia on the developing brain. Injuries to the nervous system can be recovered very quickly in newborn rodents. Thus, the timing of evaluation tests are very critical. A model that is appropriate for the brain's developmental processes and accurately simulates the damage in humans should be utilized in studies on neonatal hyperoxic brain injury, and the right test should be chosen at the appropriate time. In the first twenty days, physical and motor development tests, and subsequent evaluation of damaged brain structures are relevant. The open field and forced swim tests can be used to assess the animal's locomotor activity and depressive condition, while the watermaze, passive avoidance and new object recognition tests can be used to assess cognitive abilities. In laboratory mice and rats, physical development and motor reflex development tests can be started right after birth, while learning and memory tests can be done from 4 weeks at the earliest. Correlations between motor development, behavior, memory tests, and results of cellular/ molecular studies should be made and interpreted carefully.

Keywords

• brain injury
• behavioral test
• hyperoxia model
• motor development tests
• newborn rodent
• beyin hasarı
• davranış testleri
• hiperoksi modeli
• motor gelişim testleri
• yenidoğan rodent.