title: Serotonin release variations during recovery of motor function after a spinal cord injury in rats.
abstract: Current literature suggests that serotonin (5-HT) release within the ventral horn of the spinal cord plays a role in motor function. We hypothesized that endogenous 5-HT release is involved in the recovery of motor function after spinal cord injury. To appreciate the functional parameters of regenerating serotonergic fibers, a microdialysis probe was stereotactically implanted in the ventral horn of subhemi-lesioned rats. Microdialysis in combination with HPLC was used to measure concentrations of 5-HT in the lumbar ventral horn during periods of rest (90 min), treadmill run (60 min) and postexercise rest (90 min) for a 1-month time period of recovery following the surgical lesion. Within the same period of time, 5-HT levels varied significantly. A significant (202%) increase was observed at day 18 postlesion relative to day 8, and a 16.4% decrease was observed at day 34 relative to day 18. Treadmill exercise challenge induced a 10% decrease of 5-HT release relative to rest at days 18 and 34. In conclusion, overtime treadmill locomotor recovery is parallel to amounts (rest basal levels) and patterns (exercise and postexercise levels) of 5-HT release suggesting that changes in serotonergic system occurred within the same time frame than locomotor recovery using treadmill challenge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, UIC, Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA. cgerin@uic.edu
authors.forename: Christine G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Gerin
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: Seritta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Privat
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015306:Biogenic Monoamines / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D008124:Locomotion / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D017551:Microdialysis / Q000379:methods; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015306:Biogenic Monoamines; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D012701:Serotonin