Journal
PEDIATRIC NEUROLOGY
Volume 30, Issue 1, Pages 46-53Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC
DOI: 10.1016/S0887-8994(03)00404-1
Keywords
-
Categories
Funding
- NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE [R01NS036780, R01NS020618, R56NS020618] Funding Source: NIH RePORTER
- NINDS NIH HHS [NS20618, NS36780] Funding Source: Medline
Ask authors/readers for more resources
The germinal matrix contains a concentrated network of blood vessels. The unusual structural qualities of these vessels are implicated as a factor underlying the high incidence of hemorrhage that occurs in the germinal matrix of prematurely born neonates. The present study is a histologic analysis of an postmortem examination series of brains collected from neonates born between 23 weeks gestation and term and is designed to determine if subependymal veins can be recognized in neonates born at the limits of viability, approximately 23 weeks gestation. Alkaline phosphatase histochemistry is used to differentiate cerebral afferent from efferent vessels. The results demonstrate that precursors of the subependymal veins can be recognized as early as the twenty-third gestational week. These veins increase progressively in diameter. from 23 weeks to term, but the wall of the veins, which at early stages consists of endothelial cells only, does not thicken until after postconception week 36. Thus in all premature neonates, including the youngest capable of independent existence, the subependymal veins are present and appear vulnerable to rupture. These data support our suggestion that the structural immaturity of these veins in premature neonates is causally related to the high incidence of germinal matrix hemorrhage in these patients. (C) 2004 by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available