Effectiveness of GK-2, a Nerve Growth Factor Mimetic, in Preventing Post-Resuscitation Changes in the Brain

Neurological status was assessed and the numbers of neurons per 1 mm in pyramidal neuronal layer length in CA1 and CA4 hippocampal fields and cerebellar Purkinje cells were evaluated in albino male rats on post-resuscitation day 14 after 12-min cardiac arrest. Intraperitoneal administration of GK-2 (1 mg/kg 30 min after resuscitation and within the next 3 days with an interval of 24 h) accelerated neurological recovery of the animals, sharply reduced the intensity of cerebellar Purkinje cell death, and prevented loss of pyramidal neurons in the hippocampus. These results show the effectiveness of systemic administration of the nerve growth factor mimetic GK-2 in improving structural and functional state of the brain in the post-resuscitation period. This opens new prospects of its use for prevention and correction of post-hypoxic encephalopathy.