Aim: to investigate the neuroprotective properties of lithium chloride in a rat model of open traumatic brain injury (OTBI).

Materials and Methods. An open traumatic brain injury (OTBI) model was induced using the D. M. Feeney method. The study included 40 male Wistar rats divided into four groups: sham-operated animals (sham, N=10); a OTBI control group (control, N=10); a group receiving lithium chloride at a dose of 1.5 mmol/kg after OTBI (OTBI + lithium 63 mg/kg, N=10); and a group receiving lithium chloride at a dose of 0.5 mmol/kg after OTBI (OTBI + lithium 21 mg/kg, N=10). Cognitive and neurological functions were assessed using the Morris water maze and the forelimb placing test. Brain lesion volume was assessed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on day 14 post-injury.

Results. Lithium chloride at 63 mg/kg administered 60 minutes after OTBI reduced brain lesion volume by 41.5% compared to the control group (P=0.001), while the 21 mg/kg dose reduced lesion volume by 27.5% (P=0.001). Lithium chloride at 63 mg/kg improved cognitive performance by 71% compared to the control group (P=0.009); the 21 mg/kg dose resulted in a 65% improvement (P=0.010).

Conclusion. Lithium chloride at doses of 21 mg/kg and 63 mg/kg has neuroprotective properties, significantly reduces brain lesion volume (as confirmed by MRI), alleviates neurological deficits, and thereby improves cognitive function in animals after OTBI.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of three 60-minute inhalations of an argon-oxygen gas mixture (Ar 70%/O₂ 30%) on the severity of neurological deficits, brain lesion volume, inflammatory and cellular responses, and cytokine levels in rats after photochemically induced ischemic stroke.

Materials and Methods. The experiment was performed in 21 male Wistar rats (250–300 g) randomly assigned to three groups: (1) ischemia + N₂ 70%/O₂ 30% inhalation (ischemia group, N=10); (2) ischemia + Ar 70%/O₂ 30% inhalation (ischemia + iAr group, N=8); and (3) sham-operated animals (sham group, N=3). Neurological status was assessed over 14 days using the limb placement test. On day 14 post-ischemia, animals underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), histological and immunohistochemical analyses, and RT-PCR using RNA extracted from the liquid homogenate of the entire brain to evaluate the relative levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF mRNAs.

Results. Significant differences in limb placement test scores were observed between ischemia and ischemia + iAr groups on day 3 (7.3 [5.3; 10.4] vs. 9.9 [10.2; 13.2], P=0.045) and day 7 (8.0 [7.3; 9.2] vs. 10.0 [9.0; 11.5], P=0.027). MRI showed a significantly smaller ischemia volume in the ischemia + iAr group compared to the ischemia group (12.5 [8.5; 17.4] mm³ vs. 21.0 [17.5; 22.68] mm³, P=0.01). Pro-inflammatory cytokine levels were significantly lower following argon-oxygen inhalation: IL-1β — 205 [175.5; 247.5] in the Ischemia + iAr group vs. 328.5 [299; 347.5] in the Ischemia group (P=0.001); TNF — 110.5 [93.5; 113] vs. 149.5 [126.5; 176.5], respectively (P=0.001).

Conclusion. Repeated 60 min inhalation of argon-oxygen mixture (Ar 70%/O₂ 30%) after photochemically induced ischemic stroke significantly reduces neurological impairment, modulates pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, and affects inflammatory and cellular responses.