title: Neuroprotective effect of memantine on hippocampal neurons in infantile rat hydrocephalus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The effect of memantine administration on hippocampal neurons of the infantile rats with kaolin induced hydrocephalus was investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hydrocephalus was induced by injecting kaolin into the cisterna magna of 3-weeks old Sprague-Dawley rat pups. One group received a single daily dose of 20mg/kg memantine i.p. following hydrocephalus induction for a period of two weeks. By the end of the two-week period, animals were radiologically evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging and then sacrificed to get their cerebrums removed. Both immunohistochemical analysis of nitric oxide synthase activity and quantification of spared neurons in CA1, CA2 and CA3 regions of hippocampus were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In hydrocephalus-induced rats considerable neuronal loss associated with significantly increased nitric oxide synthase immunoreactivity were determined in all hippocampal regions. However, memantine treated rats showed significantly higher number of spared neuron counts and reduced nitric oxide synthase immunoreactivity in CA1 and CA2 regions compared with the non-treated rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of the study show that hippocampal neurons may constitute important targets for injury secondary to hydrocephalic process in experimental infantile hydrocephalus. Early anti-excitotoxic treatment with memantine seems to have a neuroprotective effect especially in the CA1 and CA2 subunits of the hippocampus.
authors.affiliation: Turkish Navy Golcuk Military Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Kocaeli, Turkey.
authors.forename: Burak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cabuk
authors.forename: Volkan
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Etus
authors.forename: Suheyla Uyar
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Bozkurt
authors.forename: Aydin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sav
authors.forename: Savas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ceylan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D056547:CA1 Region, Hippocampal / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D056651:CA2 Region, Hippocampal / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D056654:CA3 Region, Hippocampal / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D002452:Cell Count; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology*; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000473:pathology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008559:Memantine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; D008559:Memantine