Effects of Anoxia and Aglycemia on the Adult and Immature Hippocampus

Brief anoxic episodes induce a loss of consciousness due to an interruption of synaptic responses and repeated on more sustained episodes induce a selective neuronal loss in vulnerable regions notably in the CA1-H1 region of the hippocampus. The use of brain slices kept in vitro has considerably improved our understanding of the mechanisms underlying anoxia and ischemia and the strategies of development of protective drugs or manipulations. This report reviews our present understanding of the effects of anoxia-ischemia on neuronal activity in particular concerning the abrupt and major changes in vulnerability which occur with maturation of the brain.