Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Injury after Perinatal Asphyxia as a Possible Factor in the Pathology of Alzheimer’s Disease

Abstract

Perinatal asphyxia is a common pathological condition occurring worldwide in approximately 4 million newborns annually. The result of this phenomenon is multi-organ damage and the development of chronic hypoxic encephalopathy. It is currently believed that an episode of cerebral hypoxia/ischemia may be one of the major factors responsible for the development of Alzheimer’s disease-type dementia and/or Alzheimer’s disease. It cannot be ruled out that hypoxia in the perinatal period may be a trigger factor for the development of Alzheimer’s disease in adulthood. The data from scientific research indicate a possible relationship between hypoxia in the earliest stages of life and the occurrence of long-lasting genetic and biochemical changes leading to the development of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease-type.