Epidemiological studies show that social determinants of health are amongst the strongest factors associated with developmental outcomes after prenatal and perinatal brain injuries, even when controlling for the severity of the initial injury. Elevated socioeconomic status and a higher level of parental education correlate with improved neurologic function after premature birth. Conversely, children experiencing early life adversity have worse outcomes after developmental brain injuries. Animal models have provided vital insight into mechanisms perturbed by developmental brain injuries, which have indicated directions for novel therapeutics or interventions. Animal models have also been used to learn how social environments affect brain maturation through enriched environments and early adverse conditions. We recognize animal models cannot fully recapitulate human social circumstances. However, we posit that mechanistic studies combining models of developmental brain injuries and early-life social environments will provide insight into pathways important for recovery. Some studies combining enriched environments with neonatal hypoxic injury models have shown improvements in developmental outcomes, but further studies are needed to understand the mechanisms underlying these improvements. By contrast, there have been more limited studies of the effects of adverse conditions on developmental brain injury extent and recovery. Uncovering the biological underpinnings for early life social experiences has translational relevance, enabling the development of novel strategies to improve outcomes through lifelong treatment. With the emergence of new technologies to analyze subtle molecular and behavioral phenotypes, here we discuss the opportunities for combining animal models of developmental brain injury with social construct models to deconvolute the complex interactions between injury, recovery, and social inequity.


中文翻译：

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发育性脑损伤和健康的社会决定因素：结合临床前模型以深入了解康复机制的机会

流行病学研究表明，即使在控制初始损伤的严重程度的情况下，健康的社会决定因素也是与产前和围产期脑损伤后的发育结果相关的最强因素之一。社会经济地位的提高和父母教育水平的提高与早产后神经功能的改善相关。相反，经历过早年逆境的儿童在发育性脑损伤后的结果会更差。动物模型为了解发育性脑损伤扰动的机制提供了重要的见解，这为新的治疗或干预措施指明了方向。动物模型也被用来了解社会环境如何通过丰富的环境和早期不利条件影响大脑成熟。我们认识到动物模型无法完全重现人类社会环境。然而，我们认为结合发育性脑损伤模型和早期社会环境的机制研究将提供对恢复重要途径的见解。一些将丰富的环境与新生儿缺氧损伤模型相结合的研究表明，发育结果有所改善，但需要进一步的研究来了解这些改善背后的机制。相比之下，关于不利条件对发育性脑损伤程度和恢复的影响的研究更为有限。揭示早期生活社会经历的生物学基础具有转化意义，能够制定新的策略，通过终身治疗来改善结果。随着分析微妙分子和行为表型的新技术的出现，我们在这里讨论将发育性脑损伤动物模型与社会构建模型相结合以解开损伤、恢复和社会不平等之间复杂相互作用的机会。