Assessing Dexmedetomidin's Efficacy in Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment Using a Rat Experimental Model

Yasar OZTURK; Ismail BOZKURT; Orkhan MAMMADKHANLI; Yahya GUVENC; Salim SENTURK; Guven GUNEY; Manuel De Jesus Encarnación RAMÍREZ; Ozlem GULBAHAR

doi:10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.47440-24.3

Issue release date: 26.09.2025

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Turkish Neurosurgery 2025 , Vol 35 , Num 5

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Neurotrauma - Assessing Dexmedetomidin's Efficacy in Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment Using a Rat Experimental Model

Yasar OZTURK¹,Ismail BOZKURT²,Orkhan MAMMADKHANLI⁴,Yahya GUVENC⁵,Salim SENTURK⁶,Guven GUNEY⁷,Manuel De Jesus Encarnación RAMÍREZ⁸,Ozlem GULBAHAR⁹

¹Yenimahalle Training and Research Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Ankara, Türkiye
²Medical Park Ankara Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Ankara, Türkiye
³Yuksek Ihtisas University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Ankara, Türkiye
⁴Trakya University, School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Edirne, Türkiye
⁵Marmara University, School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Istanbul, Türkiye
⁶Memorial Spine Center, Neurosurgery Clinic, Istanbul, Türkiye
⁷Hitit University School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Corum, Türkiye
⁸Russian People?s Friendship University, Department of Neurosurgery, Moscow, Russia
⁹Gazi University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Ankara, Türkiye DOI : 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.47440-24.3 AIM: To elucidate the effects of nasal and intraperitoneal dexmedetomidine (DexN and DexP, respectively) administration in an animal model, and to explore the underlying action mechanisms on the treatment of traumatic brain injury (TBI).

MATERIAL and METHODS: A total of 31 Wistar albino rats served as a weight-drop model to induce experimental TBI. The two treatment groups received DexN and DexP on the day of the trauma and then after 5 days. The Garcia test was performed for the neurological evaluation along with histopathological and biochemical analyses.

RESULTS: The rats in the treatment group displayed better neurological outcomes, as evidenced by a higher Garcia test score (p<0.001). DexP group presented with increased anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects in comparison to DexN (p<0.001). DexN group demonstrated a reduction in the neuron specific enolase (NSE) levels (p=0.023), indicating that it inhibited the neuronal destruction.

CONCLUSION: The present study support the hypothesis that a psychoactive drug, Dex, which has been conventionally used for sleep disorders and is also known for its cognitive-enhancing properties, may have beneficial effects after TBI owing to its antiinflammatory, anti-oxidative, and neuroprotective properties. Keywords : Traumatic brain injury, Dexmedetomidine, Neuroprotective agents, Anti-inflammatory agents, Rats

Corresponding author : Orkhan MAMMADKHANLI, dr.mammadkhanli@gmail.com