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Sensorimotor Function Deficits following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Male Rats Prevented by Neuroactive Steroid NTS-521
Location: 92
Mentor: Dr. Coleen Atkins
Neuroactive steroids are promising therapeutics to treat neuroinflammation and behavioral deficits following traumatic brain injury (TBI). NTS-521 is a prodrug designed to release the neuroactive steroid NTS-105. NTS-105 has been shown to ameliorate motor and cognitive deficits after moderate TBI in rats. Cylinder testing is a widely accepted and standardized method to measure motor function and spontaneous forelimb use in rodents. To better understand the effect of NTS-521 on sensorimotor function following injury, we assessed cylinder task performance before and after injury in three-month-old male rats which received moderate to severe parasagittal fluid percussion injury (FPI) or sham craniotomy. Animals received either the vehicle (5% Mannitol) or NTS-521 treatment (0.6, 2, 6 or 20 mg/kg dose) given intramuscularly or subcutaneously at 4- and 10-hours post-surgery. Sensorimotor function via the cylinder task was assessed three days prior to surgery for baseline measurement and reassessed at two days post-injury. Injured animals treated with NTS-521 showed improved sensorimotor function in the cylinder task compared to vehicle-treated injured animals at all tested doses in IM and SC routes. These results suggest that the treatment of NTS-521 protects sensorimotor function on the injured rat brain.
