Objective:To comfirm the reliability for the neonatal rats model of periventricular leukomalacia caused by lipopolysaccharide. Methods:Sixteen mature pregnant wistar rats were divided into experimental(n=8)and control groups(n=8).On 15 days of gestation, LPS(0.3 mg/kg)and distilled water were injected intraperitoneally to experimental(n=8)group and control group, respectively. Seventy neonatal rats of experimental group and eighty-two in the control group were obtained till the gestation day of 21. Morphological changes and water content in brain tissues were studied. Results:①Periventricular leukomalacia,band-like and spotty coagulation necrosis were found in brain of neonatal rats in the experimental group, but not in the controls; ②Oligodendrocytes, mitochondrial obvious swelling , ridge decreased or vacuolization and endoplasmic reticulum expansion were observed in brain of neonatal rats, in the experimental group, but not in the controls;③Water content in neonatal rats' brain of the experimental group[(89.92±4.06)%]was significantly higher than that in the control group[(87.78±5.21)%](P < 0.05). Conclusion:Lipopolysaccharide given to maternal rats could result in periventricular leukomalacia and increase the water content in the brain tissues of neonatal rats.