The Long Term Effects of Chronic Spinal Cord Injury on Sperm Parameters in Rats

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a serious public health problem which seriously affects the victim, family, and even the society. Research studies have shown that 80% of SCI victims are men. In recent years, there have been extensive research works on the effect of SCI (acute and/or chronic) on fertility potential of sperm and spermatogenesis in laboratory animals. SCI may disturb the spermatogenic cell lines in laboratory animals. The objective of this experimental study was to investigate the effect of chronic spinal cord injury (CSCI) on sperm parameters in adult rats.

Adult Wistar rats weighing between 225-275g were divided into 3groups of control (n=5), sham (n=10), and experimental CSCI (n=10). No surgery was done on control animals. Only laminectomy was done in the sham animals at T10. CSCI was developed in experimental rats using 10g weight dropped 5cm above the exposed T10 level. All animals were sacrificed 50 days post experiment to extract epididymal samples. Sperm parameters of count, motility, morphology, as well as number of round cells were evaluated with the aid of Makler chamber and Geimsa staining.

Progressive motility was significantly reduced in CSCI group (P<0.05). The percentage of normal morphology of spermatozoa was 99.0±1.0 in control rats which was significantly reduced to 74.90±37.64 in CSCI animals In addition, sperm counts in control and CSCI rats were 69.20±12.43 and 25.0±13.68, respectively (P<0.01). Round cell concentration was increased in CSCI group as compared to controls.

The results suggest that reduction in parameters of progressive motility, morphology, as well as sperm count following CSCI in rats may disturb the fertility potential of spermatozoa.