Neuron-specific enolase serum levels after controlled cortical impact injury in the rat

The aim of this study was to investigate the time course and the correlatio n of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) serum levels to the severity of traumati c brain injury in rats, Sixty-five male Wistar rats were subjected to sever e cortical impact injury (100 PSI, 2 mm deformation). Blood samples were dr awn directly after trauma and after 1, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h in the trauma gr oup. In the sham operated levels animals samples were drawn directly after craniotomy and after 6 and 48 h, Additionally, NSE serum levels after contr olled cortical impact at different levels of severity samples (45 PSI, 75 P SI; 2 mm deformity) were compared to sham-operated animals, The severity of the injury was not validated histopathologically, NSE serum levels were es timated with a commercially available enzyme immunoassay (LIA mat Sangtec(R )), The control animals showed a NSE serum level of 8.82 mug/L (mean, n = 1 0) and the injured animals demonstrated a time-dependent release of NSE int o the serum. The highest NSE serum values were detected 6 h after trauma (3 1.5 mug/L mean, n = 10), In addition, we found a close relationship between NSE serum levels and the severity of traumatic brain injury in the cortica l impact model. NSE serum levels reflect in a time-dependent manner the sev erity of brain trauma induced by cortical impact model in rat.