Background: Hypoxia-ischemia (HI) induces delayed inflammation and long-term gray and white matter brain injury that may be altered by hyperoxia.
Methods: HI and 2 h of hyperoxia (100% O2) or room air (21% O2) in 7-d-old (P7) rats were studied by magnetic resonance imaging at 7 Tesla during 42 d: apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps on day 1; T(1)-weighted manganese-enhanced images on day 7; diffusion tensor images on days 21 and 42; and T2 maps at all time points.
Results: The long-term brain tissue destruction on T2 maps was more severe in HI+hyperoxia than HI+room air. ADC was lower in HI+hyperoxia vs. HI+room air and sham and was correlated with long-term outcome. Manganese enhancement indicating inflammation was seen in both the groups along with more microglial activation in HI+hyperoxia on day 7. Fractional anisotropy (FA) in corpus callosum was lower and radial diffusivity was higher in HI+hyperoxia than that in HI+room air and sham on day 21. From day 21 to day 42, FA and radial diffusivity in HI+hyperoxia were unchanged, whereas in HI+room air, FA increased and radial diffusivity decreased to values similar to sham.
Conclusion: Hyperoxia caused a more severe tissue destruction, delayed irreversible white matter injury, and increased inflammatory response resulting in a worsening in the trajectory of injury after HI in developing gray and white matter.