Figure 1

Effects of sevoflurane preconditioning on neurologic motor function and histologic assessment of the spinal cord after ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury. (A) Neurological function scores were assessed at 6-h intervals during the 36 h observation using Tarlov scores after injury in three groups (n = 24). Neurological function scores ranged from 0 (paraplegia) to 4 (normal). Data are presented as the mean±SEM. (B) Neurological function scores at 36 h after reperfusion in three groups. Each symbol represents data for one rat (n = 8, bar = median). (C) Number of intact motor neurons in the ventral gray matter (n = 8). (D) Representative sections of lumbar spinal cords in the ventral horn of gray matter stained with hematoxylin and eosin 36 h after reperfusion in three groups. Normal neurons exhibited a fine granular cytoplasm with Nissl substance (arrows), while dead neurons were identified by the presence of a diffuse cytoplasm without cellular structure and with extensive vacuolation of gray matter (arrowheads). Upper scale bar = 200 μm; lower scale bar = 100 μm. **P < 0.05 vs. sham group. ^##P < 0.05 vs. IR group.