FIG. 4.

Effect of BQCA on locomotor activity, cholinergic symptoms, and lesion volume. Locomotor activity counts were collected in non-lesioned animals in the open field for 30 min, 30 min after a single injection of BQCA (n = 4, 20 mg/kg, intraperitoneally [i.p.]) or vehicle (n = 4). Symptoms of acute cholinergic toxicity were evaluated over 90 min in response to BQCA (n = 4, 20 mg/kg i.p.) using the scale of Jovic.²⁸ These included evaluation of secretory symptoms (lacrimation, eye protrusion, and salivation), motor symptoms (tremor, fibrillation, and fasciculation), respiratory changes, as well as general changes (body posture, reactivity). Lesion volume (average ± SE) was computed from digitized autoradiographs of serial coronal brain cryosections (n = 8–10). *p < 0.05 CCI-Veh versus CCI-20. BQCA, benzyl quinolone carboxylic acid; CCI, cortex contusion injury; SE, standard error; Veh, vehicle.