[Perinatal brain damage--from neuroprotection to neuroregeneration using cord blood stem cells].

Per year, approximately 1,000 children in Germany suffer from brain damage due to hypoxic-ischemic insults during the perinatal period. Based on the severity and localization of the insult, these children develop either spastic pareses, choreoathetosis, ataxia, or sensomotoric dysfunctions. A close cooperation between obstetricians, pediatricians, neuropediatricians, physical therapists, developmental psychologists, and other specialists is required, as the strain these disorders have on the children and their families is tremendous. The costs resulting per birthyear for the community are estimated on 1 million Euro. Clinical concepts to decrease the cerebral morbidity in perinatology departments have proven to be effective over the last decade. However, since brain damage cannot be prevented every time, it is essential that therapeutic measures, which have a neuroprotective effect after the insult, are being developed. Experimental pilots regarding these matters are promising. Current experiments are focused on the possible application of cord blood-derived stem cells for neuroregeneration.