Neurological and Developmental Outcomes following Neonatal Encephalopathy

Dear Colleagues,

Neonatal Encephalopathy (NE) is a clinical syndrome of disturbed neurologic function characterized by an altered level of consciousness, seizures, depressed tone and reflexes and disordered breathing control. NE remains one of the leading causes of neonatal morbidity and mortality in an infant ≥35 weeks of gestation. NE can occur as a result of a wide variety of antenatal, perinatal or genetic conditions. Broadly, maternal factors, genetic predisposition, placental abnormalities, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), infections, platelet and coagulation defects, and metabolic disorders have been implicated in the pathogenesis of NE.

An array of atypical developmental outcomes, such as cognitive deficits and motor deficits including cerebral palsy, can arise after NE. Therapeutic hypothermia remains the only effective evidence-based treatment of NE, especially the HIE subgroup. Early recognition of the underlying etiology of NE can help guide appropriate investigations, i.e., metabolic or sepsis or coagulopathy workups to ensure timely and optimal management. Furthermore, honing-in on the etiopathogenesis may aid in the development of targeted adjunctive therapies and develop preventative strategies that may have the potential to improve neurodevelopmental outcomes.

In this Special Issue, we aim to understand the different etiologies and pathogenesis of NE, early biomarkers of NE (clinical, laboratory and imaging studies) that may have therapeutic implications and later outcomes, preventative strategies and therapies that have the potential to modify neurodevelopmental outcomes in this vulnerable population.

We welcome original manuscripts, reviews and other types of papers on NE, early biomarkers of neurologic outcomes after NE, evidence-based diagnostic and management strategies for NE, neonatal seizure management, preventive strategies and promising adjunctive therapies to improve developmental outcomes after NE and lastly, short- and long-term outcomes after NE and developmental monitoring to optimize outcomes in this vulnerable population.

Dr. Kalpashri Kesavan
Dr. Jennifer Burnsed
Guest Editors

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• neonatal brain injury
• neonatal seizures
• hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy
• therapeutic hypothermia
• adjunctive therapies
• developmental outcomes and early intervention