Growth hormone attenuates alterations in spinal cord evoked potentials and cell injury following trauma to the rat spinal cord: An experimental study using topical application of rat growth hormone

The influence of exogenous rat growth hormone on spinal cord injury induced alterations in spinal cord evoked potentials (SCEP) and edema formation was examined in a rat model. Repeated topical application of rat growth hormone (20μl of 1μg/ml solution) applied 30 min before injury and at 0 min (at the time of injury), 10 min, 30 min, 60 min, 120 min, 180 min, and 240 min, resulted in a marked preservation of SCEP amplitude after injury. In addition, the treated traumatised cord showed significantly less edema and cell changes. These observations suggest that growth hormone has the capacity to improve spinal cord conduction and attenuate edema formation and cell injury in the cord indicating a' potential therapeutic implication of this peptide in spinal cord injuries.