Are neuroprotective sedatives during therapeutic hypothermia beneficial?

Birth can be dangerous for some babies. When babies don’t get enough oxygen at birth, it can lead to neonatal encephalopathy, which is associated with serious problems like brain damage, loss of sight or hearing, learning difficulties, and cerebral palsy or even mortality.

In New Zealand, around 70 babies are affected by this each year. The current standard treatment is called therapeutic hypothermia, which involves cooling the brain to reduce brain damage. This is the only available treatment for this condition, but it does not work for all babies. About one-third of babies still die or live with disabilities.Morphine is given to most babies during hypothermia to ease pain and discomfort, but it may potentially make the treatment less effective and harm the brain further. 

Recent research has shown that a drug called dexmedetomidine might help protect the brain and improve recovery after oxygen deprivation. This study will be the first to investigate if morphine makes therapeutic hypothermia less effective and whether replacement with dexmedetomidine could further improve the brain's recovery, offering important insights for future treatments and clinical trials.