[Early genes expression, structural neuron changes in hypobaric hypoxia and correcting effect of preconditioning].

The effects of severe hypobaric hypoxia and preconditioned severe hypoxia on the expression of early genes products--proteins c-Fos and NGFI-A, and structural changes in rat hippocampal and neocortical neurons were studied using Nissl staining and immunocytochemistry. Severe hypoxia was found to induce a suppression of c-Fos and NGFI-A synthesis (at 3-24 h after exposure) and delayed (by day 3-7) destructive neuronal changes, which developed according to "light" and predominantly "dark" type, that obviously reflected necrotic or apoptotic processes, respectively. The preconditioning in the regime applied abolished these pathological changes, as expressed by stimulation of early gene products expression and marked reduction of neuronal damage following severe hypoxia.