Abstract
Maternal bacterial infection is known as a causal factor for preterm labor and neonatal morbidity. In recent years, both epidemiological and experimental studies have identified maternal bacterial infection as one of the causal factors for the development of cerebral palsy (CP) in the offspring. This review examines accumulating evidence that as critical mediators of the host’s response to fighting the infecting bacteria, inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress also play important roles in maternal bacterial infection-induced white matter damage and ultimately the development of CP in the offspring. Understanding the actions of cytokines and oxidative stress in CP development could potentially lead to novel and effective therapeutic strategies.
Key words: maternal infection; cerebral palsy; lipopolysaccharide; cytokine; oxidative stress
