Beneficial effects of the melanocortin alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone on clinical and neurophysiological recovery after experimental spinal cord injury

Neurosurgery
H van de MeentW H Gispen

Abstract

Melanocortins, peptides related to melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) and corticotropin (ACTH), exhibit neurotrophic and neuroprotective activity in several established models of peripheral and central nervous system damage. The beneficial effects of melanocortins on functional recovery after experimental brain damage and central demyelinating diseases have prompted us to investigate alpha MSH treatment in a weight drop model of traumatic spinal cord injury in rats. In two independent randomized blinded experiments, treatment with either alpha MSH (75 micrograms/kg of body weight administered subcutaneously every 48 h for 3 weeks after trauma) or single high-dose (30 mg/kg, 30 min after injury) methylprednisolone was compared with saline treatment in rats subjected to a moderately severe 20-gcm weight drop injury. Spinal cord function was monitored using behavioral, electrophysiological, and histological parameters. In both experiments, alpha MSH significantly improved recovery, as illustrated by Tarlov scores, thoracolumbar height, and amplitude of rubrospinal motor evoked potentials. The magnitude of the alpha MSH effect on motor performance was comparable with the one observed after treatment with methylprednisolone. The r...Continue Reading

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Citations

Mar 6, 2004·Pharmacological Reviews·Anna CataniaJames M Lipton
Oct 23, 1997·Progress in Neurobiology·E A Joosten
Oct 23, 2021·Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology·Xuhong ZhangYe Shen

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