title: Ganglioside with nerve growth factor for the recovery of extremity function following spinal cord injury and somatosensory evoked potential.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect ganglioside with nerve growth factor on the recovery of extremity functionality following spinal cord injury and somatosensory evoked potential.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 62 patients with spinal cord injury admitted to our hospital from February 2012 to October 2013 were selected and randomized to treatment (N = 31) and control groups (N = 31). The combination of systematic rehabilitation training and GM-1 intervention were prescribed to patients in the control group, while an additional intervention of mNGF (mouse nerve growth factor) was prescribed to patients in the treatment group. All patients were subject to Functional Independence Measure (FIM), Modified Barthel Index (MBI) and P- and N- wave latency of bilateral lower extremities by SEP method evaluations at 3 months before and after the intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three months after the intervention, the FIM and MBI scores improved significantly in both groups, with significant recovery in the P- and N-wave latencies. (p < 0.05). The improvements in the FIM and MBI evaluations and P-, N-wave latencies of the treatment group were better than those of the control group. The post-treatment inter-group difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The combination of systematic rehabilitation training and GM-1 intervention plus mNGF is more effective in restoring extremity function following spinal cord injury. Somatosensory evoked potential can be an excellent index to evaluate rehabilitation efficacy and accurately reflect changes in neurological function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Xuzhou Central Hospital, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China. zhw2625329@163.com.
authors.forename: H-W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Zhai
authors.forename: Z-K
authors.initials: ZK
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: J-J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008875:Middle Aged; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005732:Gangliosides; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors