title: Gangliosides minimize motor disabilities and histopathological changes in cortical lesioned and transplanted rats.
abstract: The effect of bovine brain gangliosides was studied in rats lesioned by partial suction of the right somatosensory cortex and also in rats implanted with a piece of fetal brain tissue in this area. In both experiments a group of animals received 30 mg/kg i.p. of gangliosides daily for a period of 7 days after surgery. In lesioned rats, the untreated group showed a lower maintenance on a tight rope test at 7 as well as at 14 days, as compared with a sham-operated group (p < 0.05). In transplanted rats ganglioside treatment prevented the increase of the probability of falls from a horizontal bar at days 7 and 14 post-operations and the probability of slips on a vertical bar at day 7 (p < 0.05). Rats were killed at day 15 and brain coronal sections were obtained. Nuclear area and circularity were measured in a sample of cortical and grafted cells in a computer aid-image analyzer. Ganglioside protection on the normal size and shape of the nuclei in the ipsilateral cortex in lesioned as well as in transplanted rats (p < 0.01) was found. A higher nuclear area in ganglioside than in saline treated grafts was noted. Results suggest a protective action of the gangliosides against the lesion-induced motor dysfunction and secondary cortical cell degeneration.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Neurología y Neurocirugia, Havana, Cuba.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Córdoba
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cuba
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: García
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016380:Brain Tissue Transplantation; D002417:Cattle; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D051381:Rats; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D005732:Gangliosides