Turkish Neurosurgery 1998 , Vol 8 , Num 3-4
EFFECTS OF NMDA RECEPTOR ANTAGONISTS MK-801 AND CPPENE ON EXPERIMENTAL SPINAL CORD INJURY
Soner Yaycıoğlu, Mehmet Zileli
Ege University Faculty of Medicine Department of Neurosurgery, and Ege University Brain Research Center N -methyl- D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-mediated events have been implicated in the pathophysiology of spinal cord injury. This study examines the effects of two NMDA receptor antagonists, CPPene (3-(2-carboxypiperazin-4-yl)1-propenyl-l-phosphonic acid) and MK-801 (dizocilpine maleate) after 50 gm-cm weight dropping spinal cord injury of white rats. Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) and motor evoked potentials (MEP) were recorded before and in different intervals for 4 hours after injury. Lower extremity motor scales were observed on inclined table for 1 week after injury. MK-801 (n=15) were given intraperitoneally first at 1 mg/kg doses 30 minutes after injury and 3 rapel doses of 0.5 mg/kg at 75 minutes intervals. CPPene (n=10) were given at 4.5 mg/kg doses 15 minutes after injury and it was repeated 3 hours afterwards. Control group (n=12) had saline injections. MK-801 group consisted of 15 animals and CPPene group 10 animals. Motor scale and evoked potential analysis were done by the second observer not knowing the groups. There were no differences on motor scales and MEPs between three groups; however, SEPs significantly recovered in CPPene group. These results show that CPPene has a positive effect in dorsal column function on this experimental spinal cord injury. Keywords : Evoked potential monitoring, CPPene, MK801, NMDA receptor antagonists, Somatosensory evoked potentials, Spinal cord injury
Corresponding author : Mehmet Zileli