Evaluation of the effect of intrathecal GM1 in 24, 48, and 72 hours after acute spinal cord injury in rats

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the best timing and feasibility of intrathecal application of sodium monosialoganglioside (GM1) after spinal cord contusion in Wistar rats as an experimental model.

Methods: Forty Wistar rats were submitted to contusion spinal cord injury after laminectomy. The animals were randomized and divided into four groups: Group 1 - Intrathecal application of GM1 24 hours after contusion; Group 2 - Intrathecal application of GM1 48 hours after contusion; Group 3 - intrathecal application of GM1 72 hours after contusion; Group 4 - Sham, with laminectomy and intrathecal application of 0.5 mL of 0.9% saline solution, without contusion. The recovery of locomotor function was evaluated at seven different moments by the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) test. They were also assessed by the horizontal ladder, with sensory-motor behavioral assessment criteria, pre-and postoperatively.

Results: This experimental study showed better functional scores in the group submitted to the application of GM1, with statistically significant results, showing a mean increase when evaluated on known motor tests like the horizontal ladder and BBB, at all times of evaluation (p < 0.05), especially in group 2 (48 hours after spinal cord injury). Also, fewer mistakes and slips over the horizontal ladder were observed, and many points were achieved at the BBB scale analysis.

Conclusion: The study demonstrated that the intrathecal application of GM1 after spinal cord contusion in Wistar rats is feasible. The application 48 hours after the injury presented the best functional results.