title: Postinjury scopolamine administration in experimental traumatic brain injury.
abstract: A single bolus dose of scopolamine (1.0 mg/kg) or saline (equal volume) was injected (i.p.) at 15, 30 or 60 min after fluid percussion traumatic brain injury in the rat. Scopolamine administered at 15 min postinjury significantly reduced beam walking deficits and body weight loss assessed for 5 days after injury. Scopolamine treatment at 30 or 60 min postinjury had no effect on behavioral outcome assessed for 5 days after injury. Plasma concentrations of scopolamine were measured with a radioreceptor assay. The plasma half-life for scopolamine was 21.6 min in injured rats and 17.3 min in normal rats (P less than 0.05). These results, along with evidence from previous studies, suggest that a brief period of excessive neuronal excitation can produce relatively long-lasting behavioral deficits. The temporal effectiveness of receptor antagonist intervention in this process appears to be brief.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond 23298.
authors.forename: B G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Lyeth
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Hamm
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schnabel
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Saady
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poklis
authors.forename: L W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Gudeman
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Hayes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006207:Half-Life; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012016:Reference Values; D012601:Scopolamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D012601:Scopolamine