Neuroprotective effects of testosteron on regenerating

Abstract

Degeneration in the CNS and PNS consists of degradation and phagocytosis of axons<br><br>and their myelin sheath distal to the site of injury. Testosterone is a gonadal sex<br><br>steroid hormone that plays an important role in the central nervous system (CNS)<br><br>development. One of the less known testosterone actions is neuroprotection. In this<br><br>research the neuroprotectective effect of intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of<br><br>testosterone on the number of spinal motoneurons after sciatic nerve crush were<br><br>investigated. Thirty two male wistar rats divided to 4 groups (control, compression,<br><br>compression +castrattion, compression + testosterone injections, n=8). 4 weeks after<br><br>compresion the lumber segments of spinal cord were sampled, processed, sectioned<br><br>serially and stained with toluidine blue (PH=4.65). By using steriological quantitative<br><br>technique (physical dissector), the number of alpha motoneurons in the right ventral<br><br>horns of spinal cord were counted and compared between groups. Statistical analyses<br><br>showed that testosterone injections (1μl, ICV, 4 times, one week interval between<br><br>injections) significantly (P&lt;0.05) reduced neuronal damage. These results indicated<br><br>that testosterone has an obvious neuroprotective effect on lumbar spinal motoneurons.