Investigating the effects of vortioxetine after experimental mild head injury; on neuromotor functions, cognitive functions and healing process in juvenile rats

Head trauma is one of the major health problems. When the hospital admissions related to head traumas are analyzed in the literature, it is reported that mild head trauma cases constitute 75-90% of the admissions. Head injuries are an important cause of disability and mortality, especially in the young population; responsible for almost 30% of all deaths. Headache, sleep disorders, cognitive dysfunction, anxiety and mood-state changes can be listed among the sequelae that may occur after mild head trauma. Even if the head trauma is mild and the findings are temporary, the damage caused by the trauma can cause problems in juvenile individuals that may affect cognitive functions in the long term. Vortioxetine's -as an active substance- effects on the levels of serotonin and brain-derived neurotropic factors in the hippocampus and frontal cortex of the juvenile rats, the effects on apoptosis amounts, cellular regeneration and neurogenesis were studied in our research; also motor and cognitive skills were evaluated simultaneously to examine clinical reflections. Our study was performed with 36 juvenile rats, in 3 groups (control, sham, experiment), after a mild head trauma model; the data from Barnes Maze and Tapered Beam Walking tests were analyzed together with the results obtained from ELISA, immunhistochemical staining and histological evaluations in brain tissue samples which were collected after sacrification. Rats in the experiment group were administered appropriate doses of vortioxetine whereas saline was applied to rats in the sham group; and no intervention was made to the control group. Vortioxetine increased the hippocampal brain-induced neurotropic factor in the experiment group (p = 0.014); reduced apoptosis in the hippocampus and cortex (p = 0.002; p = 0.014); reduced edema, bleeding and inflammation (p <0.001; p <0.001; p = 0.025); reduced the number of slippage in hind legs of the experiment group in the early period and throughout the study (p = 0.047; p = 0.016); duration (p = 0.010), early period mean speed (p = 0.021), number of lines crossed (p = 0.045) and path efficiency (p = 0.024) results were in favor. Vortioxetine was found to be effective in the early recovery of motor coordination and functions in juvenile rats which exposed to mild head trauma, and in preserving their cognitive skills.