Alr. Oliveira et F. Langone, GM-1 ganglioside treatment reduces motoneuron death after ventral root avulsion in adult rats, NEUROSCI L, 293(2), 2000, pp. 131-134
After ventral root avulsion, a large percentage of the wounded spinal moton
eurons die within 2 weeks. Neuronal death is preceded by a series of morpho
logical and physiological changes probably as a result of both apoptotic an
d necrotic mechanisms. Associated with neuronal death, inflammation develop
s in the wounded area, resulting in additional neuronal loss as well as the
degeneration of fibers from different tracts of the ventral and lateral fu
niculi. In the present study we tested the neuroprotective and local anti-i
nflammatory effects of monosialoganglioside (GM-1) after an initial 150 mg/
kg body weight dose, followed by the daily administration of 100 mg/kg body
weight for 2 weeks. The results showed a statistically significant enhance
ment of surviving motoneurons which showed good morphological preservation.
Also, GM-1 treatment reduced by less then a half, the number of degenerati
ng fibers into the ventral and lateral funiculi. Taken together, our result
s indicate that the administration of GM-I in high doses during the critica
l period of motoneuron death after avulsion is neuroprotective, and diminis
hes local inflammation. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights r
eserved.