Combination of applied electric field and polyethylene glycol effectively enhance functional recovery in acute spinal cord injury of rats

Applied electric field stimulation (EFS) can reduce extracellular Ca2+ influx and consequently enhance functional recovery after spinal cord injury (SCI). However, the influx of Ca2+ continued through disrupted membranes when EFS completed. As polyethylene glycol (PEG) can reseal the damaged membranes, we proposed a hypothesis that combination therapy of EFS and PEG may effectively prevent Ca2+ influx and further promote functional recovery in rats subjected to SCI. Rats were randomly divided into three groups: saline group, treated with saline only; control group, treated with EFS and saline; and experimental group, treated with EFS and PEG. The effects of EFS combined with PEG were assessed by means of injury potential and Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) scores. Data showed that the injury potential at the moment of EFS termination in experimental group was significantly smaller compared with that in control group, but higher than that in saline group. Moreover, the BBB scores in experimental group were significantly higher than those in other groups. These findings suggest that combination therapy of EFS and PEG could further enhance functional recovery in acute SCI of rats.