Abstract |
The effect of methylprednisolone (MP) on neurologic recovery and spinal cord blood flow (SCBF) was investigated up to 4 days after a spinal cord compression injury in rats. The injury was produced at midthoracic level by applying a load of 35 g on a 2.2 x 5.0 mm compression plate for 5 min, which resulted in transient paraparesis. MP was given as a bolus dose of 30 mg/kg i.v. 60 min after injury (n = 20) and controls were given saline (n = 10). The motor performance was assessed daily as the capacity angle on the inclined plane and SCBF was measured by 14C-iodoantipyrine autoradiography on Days 1 or 4. On Day 1 the capacity angle was reduced from about 63 degrees preoperatively to 33 +/- 2 degrees (mean +/- SEM) in the control group and to 50 +/- 1 degrees in the group treated with MP (p less than 0.05). Thereafter there was a slight improvement in both groups, but the difference persisted throughout the observation period. On Day 4 both gray and white matter SCBF was better preserved in MP-treated animals than in the control group (59 +/- 4 versus 49 +/- 3 ml/min/100 g tissue for gray matter and 13.6 +/- 0.6 versus 10.7 +/- 0.8 ml/min/100 g tissue for white matter). Posttraumatic treatment with MP, thus, improved both the neurologic recovery during the first 4 days and SCBF as measured on Day 4. It is speculated that the effect of MP is at least partly exerted on the vascular bed.
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Authors | A Holtz, B Nyström, B Gerdin |
Journal | Acta neurologica Scandinavica
(Acta Neurol Scand)
Vol. 82
Issue 1
Pg. 68-73
(Jul 1990)
ISSN: 0001-6314 [Print] Denmark |
PMID | 2239140
(Publication Type: Journal Article)
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Chemical References |
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Topics |
- Animals
- Male
- Methylprednisolone
(pharmacology)
- Movement
- Nervous System
(physiopathology)
- Rats
- Rats, Inbred Strains
- Spinal Cord
(blood supply, physiopathology)
- Spinal Cord Compression
(drug therapy, physiopathology)
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