Effect of Monosialotetrahexosylganglioside 1 on Motor Performance and Coordination in an Animal Model of Ethanol Toxicity

BACKGROUND: Chronic alcohol consumption has been associated with wide-ranging health complications, including neurodegenerative disorders and neuronal apoptosis. This study evaluated the neuroprotective effects of monosialotetrahexosylganglioside 1 in the BALB/c inbred mice model of chronic alcohol intoxication using behavioral tests for motor performance and coordination (e.g., the rotarod test and horizontal bar tests).

AIM: The work aimed to evaluate the effect of monosialotetrahexosylganglioside 1 on the motor performance and coordination of laboratory animals exposed to chronic doses of ethanol.

METHODS: Chronic alcohol intoxication was modeled in BALB/c mice exposed to increasing ethanol levels. The laboratory animals were randomized to four groups: the control group (I) that received normal saline, the model group of chronic alcohol intoxication (II) that received an ethanol solution, and two experimental groups that received ethanol and intraperitoneal monosialotetrahexosylganglioside 1. The low-dose (III) and high-dose experimental groups (IV) received 10 mg/kg and 30 mg/kg of monosialotetrahexosylganglioside 1, respectively.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: A series of experiments demonstrated that ethanol exposure is associated with coordination disorders. However, monosialotetrahexosylganglioside 1 has been shown to selectively neutralize the adverse effects of ethanol, enhancing motor functions in the high-load rotarod test (30–40 rpm) and improving eye–hand coordination in the horizontal bar test.

CONCLUSION: The efficacy of monosialotetrahexosylganglioside 1 varies with conditions of use, emphasizing the need for optimizing doses and investigating its interaction with neurotrophic factors for the treatment of alcohol-related disorders.