Edaravone Ameliorates Spatial Memory And Apoptosis In Hippocampal Neurons In Rats With Delayed Neuropsychological Sequelae After Acute Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Delayed neuropsychological sequelae after acute carbon monoxide poisoning(DNS) is a series of neuropsychiatric symptoms such as cognitive and personality changes, parkinsonism, incontinence, dementia, and psychosis,which develops later following a symptom-free interval of a few weeks or longer. At present , the mechanism is still not entirely clear. Current treatment concentrated in high-pressure oxygen chamber, drug and supportive symptomatic treatment .There is no effective therapy about DNS, the key point is early diagnosis and prevention. The mechanism of DNS is complicate and not entirely clear. It may be related to cell toxicity, ischemia and hypoxia microthrombi, excitatory amino acid toxicity, reperfusion injury,free radicals, neuronal apoptosis, neurotransmitter metabolism, immune and inflammatory injury etc.So far, free radical scavenger edaravone on improving the spatial memory and apoptosis in hippocampal neuronas in rats with DNS after acute carbon monoxide poisoning has been rarely reported. Objective:To observe the effect of free radical scavenger edaravone on improving the spatial memory and apoptosis in hippocampal neuronas in rats with delayed neuropsychological sequelae (DNS) after acute carbon monoxide poisoning.Methods:44 male SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups with 11 rats each group : normal control group, DNS group, saline group and edaravone group. The Morris water maze equipment was used to make a behavior test of spatial memory in the each group. Apoptosis of neurons in the hippocampal area was measured by Tunel .Results:Compared with control group,the average latency in DNS group was significantly longer (P <0.05). Compared with saline group and DNS group, the average latency in edaravone group was significantly shorter(P<0.05). Compared with control group,neuronal apoptosis index in DNS group was significantly higher(P <0.01). Compared with saline group and DNS group,neuronal apoptosis index in edaravone group was significantly lower(P <0.01).Conclusion:Our results indicate that: Edaravone may ameliorate impaired spatial memory and restrain apoptosis in hippocampal neurons in DNS rats. Edaravone may be clinicaly utlilized to prevent DNS.