Could caffeine in pregnancy help prevent cerebral palsy in kids?

Medical Xpress / HealthDay / Stroke ^ | Oct. 22, 2024 | Ernie Mundell / Jana K. Mike et al

[ConservativeMind]

Experiments in sheep are hinting that doses of caffeine given to women in pregnancy, as well as their newborns after birth, could prevent cerebral palsy.

Cerebral palsy is a disabling condition often caused by asphyxia—reductions in oxygen supply—around the time of birth.

"Caffeine has previously proven to be safe in stimulating the respiratory centers of preterm babies and helping them remember to breathe," said Maltepe.

Caffeine "easily crosses the blood-brain barrier and is a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory molecule," added Dr. Jana Mike.

In the new study, 30 pregnant sheep received either a single intravenous dose of one gram of caffeine, which is equal to about 10 cups of coffee, or a placebo IV shot.

Then, after their lambs were born and asphyxia was induced, some lambs got a large dose of caffeine followed by lesser doses each day for two days. The other lambs received the placebo.

Measures of systemic inflammation, called cytokines, were significantly less among lambs exposed to caffeine, compared to those who weren't, the San Francisco team reported. The treated lambs also had less signs of injury to gray and white matter in their brains.

Treated lambs also appeared more active—eating and moving around more—compared to the untreated animals.

The researchers note that 95% of cerebral palsy cases worldwide currently arise in poorer nations.

Right now, the only therapy given to newborns known to have undergone a period of low oxygen is to temporarily cool their bodies for 72 hours, then slowly rewarm it. But even in wealthier nations with high-quality hospitals, the treatment is only "modestly effective" in easing the worst effects of cerebral palsy, the researchers said. "This could be because brain hypoxia occurs earlier in gestation, possibly due to the inability of the placenta to provide enough nourishment to the developing fetus."

[ConservativeMind]

Caffeine may be more helpful than believed, for fetuses.

[ConservativeMind]

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I heard some missionaries speak about their time in Tonga. They said 30% of the children there are born with Cerebral Palsy.