VASOACTIVE-INTESTINAL-PEPTIDE - A NOVEL N EUROTROPHIC FACTOR

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is a 28-amino acid neuropeptide wi th potent growth-related actions on dissociated neural cells. In recen t years its role in brain development was been elucidated: VIP has bee n shown to be a regulator of early neurodevelopment and embryonic grow th, a stimulator of neocortical astrocytogenesis and a neuroprotective molecule against excitotoxic and other neurotoxic substances. Thus VI P appears as a fundamental regulator of brain growth and development, and a potent neuroprotective agent possibly involved in pathological p rocesses such as microcephalies and some neurological impairments obse rved in very premature babies. Similarly, VIP and VIP derivatives coul d represent a new avenue in the search of therapeutics for excitotoxic lesions of the developing brain. (C) 1998, Elsevier, Paris.