Neonatal asphyxia and hyperthermia and cognitive deficits in adult rats: Role of iron

Abstract We compared effects of a critical neonatal anoxia, applied in Wistar rats at body temperatures of 33, 37 and 39 °C, on memory performance in adulthood. Because hyperthermic–anoxic neonates suffer from hyperferremia an additional group of rats, exposed to anoxia at 39 °C, was injected with deferoxamine, a chelator of iron. At the age of 4 and 12 months all rats were examined in hole board, typical maze and Morris maze. The memory was disturbed by neonatal anoxia at 39 °C. The disturbances were prevented by both the naturally reduced body temperature and by deferoxamine. In conclusion, neonatal hyperthermia induces iron-mediated, extremely delayed postanoxic cognitive disturbances in adulthood.