Serotonin in contused spinal cord

An intensive experimental spinal cord impact trauma in rabbits led, after 90 minutes, to a significant increase of serotonin content in the segments of spinal cord at the injury epicentres. Adjacent segments showed normal values. It is suggested that the existing contradictory published data concerning the serotonin concentration in a traumatized spinal cord are accounted for by differences between animal species, the method of analysis used, and the technique employed in causing the injury. Potential involvement of serotonin in the autodestructive process is discussed.