title: The Effect of Quetiapine on Treatment of Experimental Acute Spinal Cord Injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It is well known that treatment modalities against secondary damage due to spinal cord injury (SCI) are very important. This phase has been researched in many experimental studies. Apoptosis is one of the major mechanisms of secondary damage on spinal cord. The present study was undertaken to determine if quetiapine, a 5-HT2 receptor blocker atypical antipsychotic agent can rescue neuronal cells from apoptosis in a SCI model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two female Wistar rats were separated to 4 equal groups. Total laminectomy was performed at T5-7 level and spinal cord injury was produced by using the clip compression technique. Each rat from groups "1 day" (D-I) and "7 days" (D-II) was daily injected intraperitoneally with Quetiapine (10 mg/kg/day). No treatment was administered to the control groups "1 day" (K-I) and "7 days" (K-II). At the end of follow-up periods, all animals were sacrificed and spinal cords were removed. Apoptotic cells were evaluated by using immunohistochemical technique (TUNEL) in injured spinal cord specimens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a statistically significant difference while counting ApopTag positive cells, both at 1 day groups of K-I and D-I (p=0.00000008) and at 7 day groups of K-II and D-II (p=0.000005). Unlike the 1-day period, a statistically significant difference was found between grey and white matter ApopTag positive cells at the 7 < sup > th < /sup > day (p=0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Quetiapine has a protective effect on secondary damage caused by SCI, while also can be used in post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and agitation as a versatile agent.
authors.affiliation: Acibadem University, Vocational School of Health Services, Department of Neurosurgery, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat Hamit
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Aytar
authors.forename: Soner
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Civi
authors.forename: Memduh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaymaz
authors.forename: Ertan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ergun
authors.forename: Fevziye Figen
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Kaymaz
authors.forename: Aydin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pasaoglu
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007796:Laminectomy / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D008297:Male; D000069348:Quetiapine Fumarate / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000069348:Quetiapine Fumarate