Environmental enrichment aides in functional recovery following unilateral controlled cortical impact of the forelimb sensorimotor area however intranasal administration of nerve growth factor does not

Abstract

Purpose: An injury to the forelimb sensorimotor cortex results in the impairment of motor function in animals. Recent research has suggested that intranasal administration of nerve growth factor (NGF), a protein naturally found in the brain, and placement into enriched environments (EE) improves motor and cognitive function after traumatic brain injury (TBI). The purpose of this study was to determine whether NGF, EE, or the combination of both was beneficial in the recovery of motor function following TBI.

Results: Uninjured animals had fewer foot faults than injured animals, displaying a lesion effect. Injured animals housed in EE were shown to have fewer foot faults whether or not they received NGF. Injured animals also displayed an increased reliance on the non-impaired limb further validating a lesion effect.

Conclusion: EE is an effective treatment on the recovery of motor function after a TBI. Intranasal administration of NGF was found to not be an effective treatment for functional motor recovery after a TBI.

Keywords: Enriched environment; FL-SMC CCI; Intranasal administration; NGF; Traumatic brain injury.