GANGLIOSIDES AND SPINAL-CORD ISCHEMIA SECONDARY TO AORTIC CROSS-CLAMPING IN THE RAT MODEL

Gangliosides, complex glycolipids of the nervous system cell membranes , have been found effective both in reducing the degree of ischemic in jury and in stimulating neuronal regeneration during the recovery peri od. In order to investigate their neuroprotective effect during spinal cord ischemia, 60 male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent occlusion of the thoracic aorta and both subclavian arteries for 13 min. In the postop erative period, function of hindlimbs was appraised, daily for 30 days , by a deficit score (0-15). The animals were then killed and spinal c ord injury was assessed by a histologic score (0-3) based on the degre e of gray and white matter gliosis, number of motor neurons, and white matter myelination. The rats received intraperitoneal injection of pl acebo (n = 29) or GM-1 30 mg/kg (n = 31) daily, from 2 days prior to s urgery to 15 days after. The scores of each group for each day were an alyzed by repeated measures analysis of variance. The rate of recovery was better for GM-1 (P < 0.001) from the 15th to the 30th day. A tren d was seen toward lower scores in the GM-1 group (P = 0.056). Mean his tologic scores (placebo = 1.14 +/- 0.23 SE, GM-1 = 1.58 +/- 0.22 SE) d id not differ (Wilcoxon, P = 0.17). The present data support the hypot hesis that functional improvement after spinal cord ischemia due to ao rtic occlusion is enhanced by the administration of gangliosides. Opti cal microscopy could document only irreversible injury and might not b e sensitive enough to detect subtle changes during recovery of neural elements. (C) 1995 Academic Press, Inc.