ABSTRACT
Anoxia, hypoxia, or ischemia occur in a variety of disorders including asthma, cardiac or respiratory arrest, cardiac disease or surgery, carbon monoxide poisoning, attempted hanging, complications of anesthesia, near downing, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Given that a number of disorders result in an anoxic/ischemic event, a substantial number of individuals will subsequently develop hypoxic brain injury along with its associated morbidities. The mechanisms of hypoxic brain injury have been elucidated over the last several decades, in both in vivo and in vitro models. Mechanisms of hypoxic brain injury are divided into several categories: biochemical effects, functional neuronal changes, reperfusion or reoxygenation injury, and neuronal cell death from necrosis and apoptosis. Psychiatric and behavioral changes following hypoxic brain injury include euphoria, irritability, hostility, depression, and anxiety. Psychiatric disorders are not only common but also vary in type and severity following hypoxic brain injury.
