Effects of sacral nerve electrical stimulation on 5‑HT and 5‑HT3AR/5‑HT4R levels in the colon and sacral cord of acute spinal cord injury rat models

Molecular Medicine Reports, 2020 · DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2020.11148 · Published: January 1, 2020

Spinal Cord Injury Neurology Gastroenterology

Simple Explanation

Spinal cord injury (SCI) can lead to defecation problems. This study investigates if sacral nerve electrical stimulation (SNS) can help improve bowel function in rats with SCI. The study looks at the levels of serotonin (5-HT) and its receptors (5-HT3AR and 5-HT4R) in the colon and spinal cord after SNS treatment. The researchers found that SNS improved bowel function in SCI rats and increased the levels of 5-HT and its receptors in the colon and spinal cord.

Study Duration

17 days

Participants

70 healthy adult female Sprague‑Dawley rats

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
SNS significantly increased the quantity of feces, shortened the time to the first fecal passage, and improved fecal texture and colon histology in SCI rats.
2
SNS elevated 5-HT contents in the colon and spinal cord.
3
SNS enhanced 5-HT3AR/5-HT4R protein expression and distribution in the colonic myenteric plexus and mucosa, sacral intermediolateral nucleus and dorsal horn.

Research Summary

This study investigated the effects of sacral nerve electrical stimulation (SNS) on defecation function and serotonin (5-HT) levels in a rat model of acute severe spinal cord injury (SCI). The results showed that SNS significantly improved defecation function, increased 5-HT levels in the colon and spinal cord, and enhanced the expression of 5-HT receptors (5-HT3AR/5-HT4R). The findings suggest that SNS can improve defecation and accelerate the recovery of colonic transmission functions in rat models of acute SCI by upregulating the 5-HT/5-HT3AR/5-HT4R axes.

Practical Implications

Therapeutic Potential

SNS could be a therapeutic option for defecation dysfunction caused by SCI.

Underlying Mechanism

The study provides insights into the neuromodulation mechanism underlying SNS therapy for SCI.

Drug development

The 5-HT3AR/5-HT4R axes can be further studied in relation to SCI to improve SNS therapy.

Study Limitations

1
There was no control group of rats without SCI that were treated with SNS.
2
The present study was performed in the acute phase of SCI and additional studies are necessary to confirm the results in chronic SCI.
3
Only 5‑HT3AR and 5‑HT4R were studied, it is likely that SNS affects the neurons as a whole, rather than only specifically 5‑HT3AR and 5‑HT4R.

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