The Effects of Modafinil and Methylprednisolone on Neurological Healing in Experimental Spinal Injury

Year 2026, Issue: Advanced Online Publication, 51 - 65

Mehmet Emre Yıldırım , Ayhan Tekiner , Yavuz Erdem , Haydar Çelik , Halil Kul , Adem Kurtuluş , Ömer Şahin , Tuncer Taşcıoğlu , Serdar Cengiz , Kemal Kantarcı , Burak Yürük , Berkay Ayhan , Zeliha Çulcu

Abstract

Objective: Methyl Prednisolone is used widely in daily practice in the medical treatment of spinal cord injuries. However, new treatment agents continue to be investigated as alternative options because of their possible side effects. In this study, the purpose was to evaluate the neurobehavioral and electrophysiological results of the use of Modafinil in an experimental spinal cord injury model in rats, by investigating its contribution to the healing process, both separately and in combination with Methyl Prednisolone.
Method: A total of 30 male Wistar Albino rats were included in the study. The rats were divided into five groups. Modafinil and Methyl Prednisolone were administered to the study groups after Laminectomy and trauma. The rats were then evaluated electrophysiologically and with the Inclined Plane Test.
Results: A statistically significant difference was detected between the groups according to the inclined plane angles on the first day (p<0.01). Although the inclined plane angles of the subjects were significantly higher on the first day in Group IV and Group V than the subjects in Group II (p=0.01), no significant differences were detected between Group II and Group III on the first day (p=0.635). When the difference between the first-day and 10th-day IPA’s was evaluated within the groups, the increase in Group I and Group II was not statistically significant (p>0.05), but the increases in Group IV and Group V were statistically significant (p<0.05). It was also found that the amplitudes that were measured in the early post-traumatic period and the difference (increase) between the amplitudes that were measured in the late period on the 11th day in the trauma groups were found to be increased at statistically significant levels both between the groups and within each group.
Conclusion: It is important to investigate novel treatment options because ofthe possible side effects of Methyl Prednisolone used in daily practice, depending on its receptor activity. Modafinil is considered to be among the treatment options with its dual immunomodulatory effect, both anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory.

Keywords

Modafinil , Methylprednisolone , Experimental Spinal Injury , neurobehavioral , electrophysiological

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