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Evaluation of the Neuroprotective Effects of Citicoline after Experimental Spinal Cord Injury: Improved Behavioral and Neuroanatomical Recovery

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Abstract

Spinal cord injury (SCI) caused by trauma mainly occurs in two mechanisms as primary and secondary injury. Secondary injury following the primary impact includes various pathophysiological and biochemical events. Methylprednisolone is the only pharmacological agent having clinically proven beneficial effects on SCI. Citicoline has been shown to have clinical and experimental beneficial effects on brain ischemia. This study aims to investigate the neuroprotective effect of citicoline in an experimental SCI model in rats. Sixty adult Wistar albino rats were randomized into five groups. SCI was performed by the weight-drop model. Group 1 underwent laminectomy alone. The Group 2 underwent laminectomy followed by SCI and received no medication. Group3, Group 4 and Group 5 underwent laminectomy followed by SCI and received medication. Group 3 and Group 5 received citicoline and Group 4 and Group 5 received methylprednisolone. The rats were divided into two subgroups for biochemical analysis (sacrificed at 24 h after surgery) and neurobehavioral and histopathological evaluation (sacrificed at 6 weeks after surgery). Malonildialdehyde levels, nitric oxide levels and trauma size ratios were lower and reduced glutathione levels were higher in Group 3, Group 4 and Group 5 as compared to Group 2. Posttraumatic neurological recovery after surgery was significantly better in Group 3, Group 4 and Group 5 compared to Group 2. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that citicoline is as effective as methylprednisolone. The efficacy of citicoline combined with methylprednisolone is not superior to either citicoline or methylprednisolone alone.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Emergency Medicine, İnönü University, Faculty of Medicine, Malatya, 44069, Turkey

    Neslihan Yücel

  2. Department of Neurosurgery, İnönü University, Faculty of Medicine, Malatya, Turkey

    Süleyman R. Çaylı & Özkan Ateş

  3. Department of Pathology, İnönü University, Faculty of Medicine, Malatya, Turkey

    Neşe Karadağ

  4. Department of Biochemistry, İnönü University, Faculty of Medicine, Malatya, Turkey

    Serpil Fırat & Yusuf Turköz

Authors
  1. Neslihan Yücel
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  2. Süleyman R. Çaylı
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  3. Özkan Ateş
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  4. Neşe Karadağ
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  5. Serpil Fırat
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  6. Yusuf Turköz
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Correspondence to Neslihan Yücel.

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Yücel, N., Çaylı, S.R., Ateş, Ö. et al. Evaluation of the Neuroprotective Effects of Citicoline after Experimental Spinal Cord Injury: Improved Behavioral and Neuroanatomical Recovery. Neurochem Res 31, 767–775 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-006-9075-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-006-9075-1

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