Enteric Nervous System Remodeling in a Rat Model of Spinal Cord Injury: A Pilot Study

Neurotrauma Reports, 2020 · DOI: 10.1089/neur.2020.0041 · Published: January 1, 2020

Simple Explanation

Spinal cord injuries can cause problems with bowel function. This study looks at how spinal cord injury affects the nerves in the gut in rats. The researchers studied the nerves and muscles in the colon of rats with spinal cord injuries to see how they were different from normal rats. They looked at how the colon contracts and the types of nerve cells present. The study found that spinal cord injury caused changes in the nerves and muscles of the proximal colon, which may contribute to digestive problems after spinal cord injury.

Study Duration

21 days

Participants

9 control rats and 9 spinalized rats

Evidence Level

Animal Model

Key Findings

1
The contractile response to bethanechol was significantly decreased in the proximal colon of SCI rats but not in the distal colon.
2
The proportion of nNOS immunoreactive (IR) neurons was significantly reduced in the proximal but not distal colon of SCI rats.
3
The expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) was significantly reduced in the proximal and distal colon of SCI rats.

Research Summary

This study demonstrates that functional motor and enteric neuroplastic changes affect preferentially the proximal colon compared with the distal colon. Using a rat model of chronic thoracic SCI, we described a region-speciﬁc neurochemical remodeling of the ENS characterized by a signiﬁcant decrease in the proportion of nitrergic neurons in the proximal but not distal colon compared with CT. This work highlights a remodeling of the ENS and the muscle of the proximal colon versus distal colon that may contribute to the digestive disorders associated with SCI.

Practical Implications

Targeted Therapies

The region-specific changes in the proximal colon suggest that treatments could be tailored to address specific areas of the colon affected by SCI.

Neurotransmitter Modulation

Understanding the changes in neurotransmitter concentrations, particularly acetylcholine and nNOS, may lead to therapies that restore balance and improve colonic function.

Inflammation Management

The reduction in inflammatory markers suggests that interventions targeting inflammation could be beneficial in managing SCI-related digestive issues.

Study Limitations

1
Animal model may not fully represent human SCI pathophysiology.
2
Focus on a specific time point (21 days post-SCI) limits understanding of long-term changes.
3
Ex vivo analysis may not fully capture the complexity of in vivo colonic function.

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