Table 1 Results of magnesium sulfate treatment on hydrocephalic ferrets

Sample size

2

7

6

Lateral ventricle area index (P29/pre-treat)

0.012 ± 0.002

0.147 ± 0.024*

0.155 ± 0.023*

Lateral ventricle area index (P45/post-treat)

0.006 ± 0.0005

0.219 ± 0.053*^#

0.254 ± 0.046*^#

Percent enlargement ventricles during treatment

–

48.9 ± 23.1

63.9 ± 24.4

Body weight (g) (P29/pre-treat)

148.0 ± 8.0

114.3 ± 4.8*

106.8 ± 9.1*

Body weight (g) (P45/post-treat)

264.5 ± 34.5^#

288.3 ± 12.8^#

170.0 ± 31.0*^@#

Rearing activity (beam breaks per 3 min) (P43/post-treat)

71 ± 16

57 ± 15

22 ± 20*

Ambulatory activity (beam breaks per 3 min) (P43/post-treat)

541 ± 21

460 ± 44

321 ± 71*

Total activity (beam breaks per 3 min) (P43/post-treat)

684 ± 20

584 ± 54

443 ± 89*

Number cells entered—open field (per 3 min) (P43/post-treat)

88 ± 7

115 ± 12

111 ± 15

Distance traveled—open field (m per 3 min) (P43/post-treat)

5.64 ± 0.39

7.58 ± 0.95

7.11 ± 1.08

Medial corpus callosum thickness (μm)

965 ± 95

410 ± 71*

315 ± 97*

Lateral corpus callosum thickness (μm)

665 ± 45

330 ± 50*

245 ± 59*

MBP content frontal cerebrum (μg MBP/g protein)

72.19 ± 12.75

64.25 ± 19.66

56.07 ± 14.15

CGalT activity parietal cerebrum (nM/mg protein/h)

0.029 ± 0.008

0.075 ± 0.024

0.051 ± 0.014

GPC-PP activity parietal cerebrum (nM/mg protein/h)

15.25 ± 1.83

14.42 ± 0.90

11.64 ± 1.20

GFAP content frontal cerebrum (μg GFAP/g protein)

0.64 ± 0.02

0.90 ± 0.13

0.70 ± 0.12

Frontal cerebrum magnesium (μg Mg²⁺/g brain tissue)

133.64 ± 4.97

135.59 ± 10.37

150.89 ± 5.23