title: Neuroprotective effect of epidural hypothermia after spinal cord lesion in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the neuroprotective effect of epidural hypothermia in rats subjected to experimental spinal cord lesion.
  
  
  METHODS
  Wistar rats (n = 30) weighing 320-360 g were randomized to two groups (hypothermia and control) of 15 rats per group. A spinal cord lesion was induced by the standardized drop of a 10-g weight from a height of 2.5 cm, using the New York University Impactor, after laminectomy at the T9-10 level. Rats in the hypothermia group underwent epidural hypothermia for 20 minutes immediately after spinal cord injury. Motor function was assessed for six weeks using the Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan motor scores and the inclined plane test. At the end of the final week, the rats' neurological status was monitored by the motor evoked potential test and the results for the two groups were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis of the Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan scores obtained during the six-week period indicated that there were no significant differences between the two groups. There was no significant difference between the groups in the inclined plane test scores during the six-week period. Furthermore, at the end of the study, the latency and amplitude values of the motor evoked potential test were not significantly different between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hypothermia did not produce a neuroprotective effect when applied at the injury level and in the epidural space immediately after induction of a spinal cord contusion in Wistar rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Hospital das Forças Armadas (HFA), Brasília, DF, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcello Oliveira
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Barbosa
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (IOT-HCFMUSP), Spine Division, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alexandre Fogaça
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Cristante
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (IOT-HCFMUSP), Biologist Laboratory of Medical Investigation - 41, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gustavo Bispo Dos
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (IOT-HCFMUSP), Spine Division, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (IOT-HCFMUSP), Spine Division, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Raphael Martus
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Marcon
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (IOT-HCFMUSP), Spine Division, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tarcisio Eloy Pessoa de
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Barros Filho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004824:Epidural Space / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor / Q000502:physiology; D005121:Extremities / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007036:Hypothermia, Induced / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology; D011897:Random Allocation; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D065908:Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation / Q000379:methods