Spinal cord transection modifies ileal fluid and electrolyte transport in rats.
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is associated with severe autonomic changes, including inhibition of gastrointestinal (GI) motility. GI motility changes are known to affect electrolytes transport and these changes have not been adequately studied after SCI. We studied the ileal permeability to fluid and electrolytes in rats submitted to experimental spinal cord transection (SCT), between T4 and T5, throughout the first week after SCT. SCT increased ileal secretion of Na+ (P<0.05) and decreased the Cl(-) absorption during the first week post SCI (P<0.05). Water transport was also significantly altered, leading to increased water secretion following the Na+ gradient. Ileal secretion of K+ was significantly increased 1 and 7 days after spinal cord injury. To our knowledge, the present findings are the first direct evidence that SCT alters ileal electrolyte transport in rats. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the mechanisms involved in this phenomenon.
Medeiros
Bruno Amaral
BA
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Brazil.
dos Santos
Camila Linhares
CL
Palheta
Raimundo Campos
RC
de Queiroz
Dário Augusto Ferreira
DA
da Graça
José Ronaldo Vasconcelos
JR
dos Santos
Armenio Aguiar
AA
Rola
Francisco Hélio
FH
Lima
Aldo Angelo Moreira
AA
Gondim
Francisco de Assis Aquino
Fde A
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000502:physiology; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D007082:Ileum / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism
D004573:Electrolytes; D014867:Water