Tian, Na2014-08-142014-08-142014-08-14http://hdl.handle.net/1993/23807Hypoxia can result in brain injury. Hypoxic brain injury can also result in excess stress hormones and activated immune responses. In this study, we examined multiple spontaneous motor behaviors, concentrations of stress hormones, and gene expression of immune responses in rats after perinatal hypoxia. Hypoxic animals exhibited impaired spontaneous motor behaviors in several tests. Perinatal hypoxia also caused increased levels of stress hormones and altered expression of genes associated with adaptive and innate immunity at different time points after hypoxia exposure. Findings demonstrate stress hormones and immune responses are available to play an important role in perinatal brain injury and can impact delayed behavioral development.engperinatal hypoxiapreterm birthimmune responsesglucocorticoidsbehavioral developmentdoctoral thesis