Objective:

We investigated the effect of carotid body ischemia-induced cerebrospinal fluid acidosis on spinal cord during subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH).

Methods:

Twenty-three hybrid rabbits were divided into three groups: control (n = 5), Sham (injected with 0.5 ml isotonic) (n = 6), and the SAH (n = 12) (injected with 0.5 ml autologous blood into the 4th ventricle) and then monitored for 3 weeks. Cerebrospinal fluid pH and degenerated ependymal cell density and volume of cervical central canal were analyzed.

Results:

The mean cervical central canal volumes, degenerated ependymal cells densities, and cerebrospinal pH values were 1.056 ± 0.053 mm3-6 ± 2 per mm2-7.342 ± 0.034, 1.321 ± 0.12 mm3-35 ± 9 per mm2-7.314 ± 0.056, and 1.743 ± 0.245 mm3-159 ± 24 per mm2-7.257 ± 0.049 in the Control, Sham, and SAH groups, respectively. The more degenerated carotid body neuron density induced decreased cerebrospinal fluid pH values (p < 0.0001) could result in the more ependymal cells desquamation (p < 0.0005) and central canal dilatation (p < 0.00001).

Conclusion:

Increased neurodegeneration of carotid bodies can reduce cause cerebrospinal fluid pH-induced ependymal cell degeneration and central canal dilatation following SAH.