Abstract:

Prematurely born newborns, as well as those born at term, may suffer from several types of brain injury including hypoxic-ischemic injury, intracranial hemorrhage, both intraventricular and parenchymal, and injury that is the consequence of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). Injury of all types can impact the motor and cognitive abilities of survivors. The mechanisms leading to disability are not completely understood. Here we discuss the role of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling pathway in newborn brain injury. We review the evidence that the BMP signaling pathway is activated in various injury types and discuss the downstream effects of its activation and possible interventions to curtail the effects of this pathway’s activation. In addition, we identify interactions with other signaling pathways important in neurodevelopment.