PERINATAL ASPHYXIA INCREASES BFGF MESSENGER-RNA LEVELS AND DA CELL BODY NUMBER IN THE MESENCEPHALON OF RATS

THE present investigation was undertaken in order to study the long-te rm effects of perinatal asphyxia on basic fibroblast growth factor (bF GF) gene expression and the number of dopamine nerve cell bodies in th e mesencephalon of the rat. Asphyxia was induced during birth for 19-2 0 min. A 30% increase in the number of tyrosine-hydroxylase immunoreac tive (TH-IR) nerve cell bodies (i.e. dopamine-containing neurones) as well as a 50% increase in bFGF gene expression following asphyxia was found in the substantia nigra/ventral tegmental area 4 weeks after bir th. The increase in bFGF mRNA levels may underlie the increase found i n the number of dopamine cell bodies. The present results indicate tha t asphyxia during birth can prime the long-term development of the cen tral nervous system.