First emerging evidence of the relationship between Onuf's nucleus degeneration and reduced sperm number following spinal subarachnoid haemorrhage: Experimental study

Abstract

Lumbosacral pathologies can lead to infertility. Onuf's nucleus changes in these pathologies may have a role in low sperm number. This study aims to investigate the relationship between Onuf's nucleus degeneration and sperm number following spinal subarachnoid haemorrhage. 22 rabbits were used. They were divided into three groups; five of them were used as the control (GI), five as the SHAM (GII) and twelve as the study groups (GIII). The study group received 0.7 ccs autologous blood into the spinal subarachnoid space at the T12-L1 level. After two weeks, all animals were decapitated, and S1-S3 laminectomy was done. Neurodegenerative changes of Onuf's nucleus, pudendal ganglia (S3) following two weeks after spinal SAH, were examined; sperm numbers were calculated. Degenerated neuron density of the Onuf's nucleus (n/mm(3)), the pudendal ganglia (S3) (n/mm(3)) and mean sperm numbers were calculated as 5 +/- 2, 8 +/- 3/mm(3) and 98.345 +/- 12.776/mm(3) in the control (GI), 20 +/- 5/mm(3), 243 +/- 66/mm(3) and 91.841 +/- 9.654/mm(3) in the SHAM (GII), 143 +/- 39/mm(3), 2,350 +/- 320/mm(3) and 68.549 +/- 5.540/mm(3) in the study group (GIII). In conclusion, there were statistically significant differences between groups. Onuf's nucleus may be responsible for decreased sperm number following spinal SAH.