Gender differences in spinal cord injury are not estrogen-dependent. J Neurotrauma 2007 Mar;24(3):473-80
Date
04/04/2007Pubmed ID
17402853DOI
10.1089/neu.2006.0167Scopus ID
2-s2.0-34247166204 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 57 CitationsAbstract
Recent attention has been given to gender differences in neurotrauma, and the anecdotal suggestion is that females have better outcomes than males, suggesting that circulating levels of estrogen (E(2)) may be neuroprotective. In order to address this issue, both young adult male and ovariectomized female rats were subjected to a T10 spinal cord injury (SCI), and E2 levels were maintained at chronic, constant circulating levels. Animals were clinically evaluated for locomotor changes using the Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan (BBB) scoring system. Morphologic differences were evaluated with unbiased stereology. Data analysis failed to reveal any significant benefit for the E2 therapy in either males or females. We did find a non-estrogen-dependent difference between male and female rats in length of injury, and percent of spared tissue, with female outcomes more favorable. These results suggest that E(2) does not provide a viable therapy following SCI.
Author List
Swartz KR, Fee DB, Joy KM, Roberts KN, Sun S, Scheff NN, Wilson ME, Scheff SWAuthors
Dominic B. Fee MD Vice Chair, Professor in the Neurology department at Medical College of WisconsinKarin R. Swartz MD Assistant Dean, Professor in the Neurosurgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin
MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AnimalsBehavior, Animal
Estradiol
Estrogens
Female
Male
Motor Activity
Ovariectomy
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Sex Characteristics
Spinal Cord
Spinal Cord Injuries
