Regional Neuroinflammation During Pregnancy Complicated With Hypertension
Teryn Railey1, Teylor Bowles2, John Polk Dumas2, Shauna-Kay Spencer2, Ashley Griffin2, Kedra Wallace2
1Mississippi INBRE Research Scholar, Tougaloo College, Jackson, MS
2Obstetrics & Gynecology Department, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, can lead to neuroinflammation and vascular damage. During pregnancy, the maternal vasculature becomes more susceptible to injury which is especially true in pregnancies complicated with high blood pressure such as HELLP syndrome (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelets) and preeclampsia (PE). Several studies have suggested that neuroinflammation in response to hypertension occurs in women with HELLP syndrome or PE, however the cell types and brain regions that may be affected have not been fully identified. The objective of the current study was to determine if certain brain regions were more susceptible to neuroinflammation in an experimental animal model of HELLP syndrome.