Research area: Clinical Sciences > Neuroscience

Overview

Approximately 120 Australian babies will suffer a stroke each year, based on a 1:3,500 incidence rate. This is five times higher than older children and on par with adults aged between 40-44 years.

Disease mechanisms are poorly understood and babies do not recover well, with almost 50 per cent experiencing permanent neurodevelopmental impairments affecting movement, communication, behaviour, learning and thinking.

In this study, we address the most important questions that parents ask their treating obstetrician or neonatologist: Why did my baby have a stroke and how will the stroke affect my child's development?

Information for participants

This is an observational study aiming to recruit 50 term neonates with confirmed AIS over a three-year period from the five major tertiary NICU sites in Victoria; The Royal Children's Hospital (RCH), The Royal Women's Hospital, Mercy Hospital for Women, Monash Children’s Hospital, and Joan Kirner Women's and Children's Hospital.

The neonatal participants will have two blood samples collected (alongside routine clinical bloods) and have MRI brain imaging performed as part of standard clinical care to investigate seizures or encephalopathy.

These neonatal participants will attend a two-year follow-up at the RCH stroke clinic as part of their routine clinical care. The study outcome assessments will be performed at this time point.

The participant’s parents will complete three questionnaires (MCDI, VABS, CEDLM) to assess the infant’s speech, language and behaviour; and complete two assessments performed by a trained clinician to assess, cognitive, language, motor and social-emotional development (AMA and Bayley’s IV assessment).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Term (37 weeks gestation or more) newborns
• Radiologically confirmed acute neonatal ischaemic stroke
• Diagnosed up to 28 days after birth

Exclusion Criteria:

• Preterm (less than 37 weeks gestation) stroke
• Presumed perinatal stroke (who typically present at around three to six months of age, with an early hand preference)
• Acute haemorrhagic stroke

Funding

This project is funded an NHMRC Ideas Grant (Application ID 2020902).

Research team

• Associate Professor Mark Mackay
• Professor Paul Monagle
• Professor Vera Ignjatovic
• Dr Joseph Yuan Mou Yang
• Dr Chantal Attard
• Dr Jesse Shapiro
• Dr Frank Muscara
• Dr Julia Gunn-Charlton
• Associate Professor Stephen Hearps

Contact us

NIMBUS
Murdoch Children's Research Institute
The Royal Children's Hospital
50 Flemington Road
Parkville VIC 3052
Australia

Bianca Devsam (Neonatal Stroke Research Coordinator)
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