Inhibition of Hippocampal Regeneration by Adjuvant Dexamethasone in Experimental Infant Rat Pneumococcal Meningitis

Pneumococcal meningitis (PM) causes neurological sequelae in up to half of surviving patients. Neuronal damage associated with poor outcome is largely mediated by the inflammatory host response. Dexamethasone (DXM) is used as an adjuvant therapy in adult PM, but its efficacy in the treatment of pneumococcal meningitis in children is controversially discussed. While DXM has previously been shown to enhance hippocampal apoptosis in experimental PM, its impact on hippocampal cell proliferation is not known. This study investigated the impact of DXM on hippocampal proliferation in infant rat PM. Eleven-day-old nursing Wistar rats (n = 90) were intracisternally infected with Streptococcus pneumoniae to induce experimental meningitis. Treatment with DXM or vehicle was started 18 h after infection, concomitantly with antibiotics (ceftriaxone 100 mg/kg of body weight twice a day [b.i.d.]). Clinical parameters were monitored, and the amount of cells with proliferating activity was assessed using in vivo incorporation of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and an in vitro neurosphere culture system at 3 and 4 d postinfection. DXM significantly worsened weight loss and survival. Density of BrdU-positive cells, as an index of cells with proliferating activity, was significantly lower in DXM-treated animals compared to vehicle controls (P < 0.0001). In parallel, DXM reduced neurosphere formation as an index for stem/progenitor cell density compared to vehicle treatment (P = 0.01). Our findings provide clear evidence that DXM exerts an antiproliferative effect on the hippocampus in infant rat PM. We conclude that an impairment of regenerative hippocampal capacity should be taken into account when considering adjuvant DXM in the therapeutic regimen for PM in children.

The New York City infant day care study : a comparative study of licensed group and family infant day care programs and the effects of these programs on children and their families /

"Final report, grant MC-R-360011."

Mental health issues in grief counseling : summary of proceedings : National Conference on Mental Health Issues Related to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, February 23-25, 1977, Friendship International Hotel, Baltimore, Md. /

Includes bibliographical references.

Essays on important subjects : intended to establish the doctrine of salvation by grace and to point out its influence on holiness of life /

v. 1. Essay on the connexion between the doctrine of justification by the imputed righteousness of Christ, and holiness of life. The absolute necessity of salvation through Christ. The trial of religious truth by its moral influence. The charge of sedition and faction against good men, especially faithful ministers, considered and accounted for. Prayer for national prosperity and for the revival of religion inseparably connected -- v. 2. A serious enquiry into the nature and effects of the stage. Ecclesiastical characteristics -- v. 3. A practical treatise on regeneration.

Conversations on baptism, containing answers to the enquiries of a young convert, respecting the sentiments of those who practice infant baptism /

3 lines of errata on p. [69].

Role of federal food assistance programs in strategies to reduce infant mortality [microform] : hearing before the Domestic Task Force of the Select Committee on Hunger, House of Representatives, One hundredth Congress, first session, hearing held in Washington, DC, April 29, 1987.

"Serial no. 100-7."

Economics of reproductive and infant health : an annotated bibliography from 1980 to 1993 /

Includes indexes.

Child and infant restraints.

Mode of access: Internet.

...The principles and practice of early and infant school-education, with an appendix of infant-school hymns and songs with appropriate melodies.

Music : p. 285-310.

Trumpet of salvation : the story of William and Catherine Booth /

Mode of access: Internet.