Issue release date: 12.11.2024

 
Turkish Neurosurgery 2018 , Vol 28 , Num 1
The Effect of Quetiapine on Treatment of Experimental Acute Spinal Cord Injury
Murat Hamit AYTAR1,Soner CIVI2,Memduh KAYMAZ3,Ertan ERGUN4,Fevziye Figen KAYMAZ5,Aydin PASAOGLU3
1Acibadem University, Vocational School of Health Services, Department of Neurosurgery, Istanbul, Turkey
2Baskent University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Adana, Turkey
3Gazi University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Ankara, Turkey
4Kavaklıdere Umut Hospital, Neurosurgery Clinic, Ankara, Turkey
5Hacettepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Ankara, Turkey DOI : 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.17476-16.1 AIM: It is well known that treatment modalities against secondary damage due to spinal cord injury (SCI) are very important. This phase has been researched in many experimental studies. Apoptosis is one of the major mechanisms of secondary damage on spinal cord. The present study was undertaken to determine if quetiapine, a 5-HT2 receptor blocker atypical antipsychotic agent can rescue neuronal cells from apoptosis in a SCI model.

MATERIAL and METHODS: Thirty-two female Wistar rats were separated to 4 equal groups. Total laminectomy was performed at T5-7 level and spinal cord injury was produced by using the clip compression technique. Each rat from groups "1 day" (D-I) and "7 days" (D-II) was daily injected intraperitoneally with Quetiapine (10 mg/kg/day). No treatment was administered to the control groups "1 day" (K-I) and "7 days" (K-II). At the end of follow-up periods, all animals were sacrificed and spinal cords were removed. Apoptotic cells were evaluated by using immunohistochemical technique (TUNEL) in injured spinal cord specimens.

RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference while counting ApopTag positive cells, both at 1 day groups of K-I and D-I (p=0.00000008) and at 7 day groups of K-II and D-II (p=0.000005). Unlike the 1-day period, a statistically significant difference was found between grey and white matter ApopTag positive cells at the 7th day (p=0.0001).

CONCLUSION: Quetiapine has a protective effect on secondary damage caused by SCI, while also can be used in post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and agitation as a versatile agent. Keywords : Spinal cord injury, Quetiapine, Apoptosis, Secondary damage

Corresponding author : Soner CIVI, sonercivi@yahoo.com