From Brain Organoids to Translational Neurology: Exploring Neuroprotective Targets and Molecular Approaches in Perinatal Brain Injury
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Perinatal brain injury (PBI) is a leading cause of long-term neurological deficits in newborns, yet effective therapies are limited. At the cellular level, PBI involves hypoxic-ischemic stress, neuroinflammation, oxidative damage, excitotoxicity, and disrupted neurovascular and glial development. Traditional animal models and 2D cultures cannot fully capture the spatiotemporal complexity of the developing human brain, highlighting the need for more physiologically relevant systems. Human brain organoids have emerged as advanced three-dimensional models that recapitulate region-specific cytoarchitecture, neuronal and glial differentiation, and early circuit formation. They enable modeling of hypoxic-ischemic and inflammatory insults, allowing for the study of injury-induced changes in neurogenesis, gliogenesis, synaptic development, and cell interactions. Organoids facilitate identification of molecular pathways involved in injury and repair, supporting therapeutic target discovery. Using patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells, organoids also allow personalized pharmacogenomic studies to assess genotype-dependent drug responses and toxicity. Despite limitations such as variability, lack of vascularization and immune components, and ethical considerations, brain organoids offer a promising platform to bridge developmental neurobiology and translational therapeutics, paving the way for targeted and individualized interventions in PBI.
Source: Cells
Institution: University of Rijeka
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,258
Funder: Sveučilište u Rijeci
Awards: G4566678666, G5316655899
OpenAlex ID: W7133557769