Chapter 4 Fetal brain tissue transplants and recovery of locomotion following damage to sensorimotor cortex in rats

Abstract

Publisher Summary Fetal brain tissue transplants have been shown to be effective in reducing motor impairments accompanying nigrostriatal damage. This chapter examines whether fetal brain transplants would be effective in reducing the motor impairment that occurs following sensorimotor cortex ablations. The chapter discusses experiments with following objective: (1) can fetal brain transplants facilitate recovery of locomotion following damage to sensorimotor cortex, and (2) will the combination of fetal brain transplants and G MI ganglioside treatments enhance recovery of locomotion following sensorimotor cortex damage. Based on the experimental results, it appears that fetal brain tissue transplants from different sites or of different fetal ages fail to produce a demonstrable enhancement of recovery after bilateral damage to sensorimotor cortex. The specific location and type of cerebral injury may be a factor to consider in deciding upon, whether to employ transplants to promote recovery from traumatic injury. The effects of the combined treatment of G MI gangliosides and fetal brain transplants are different from either of these treatments alone. These findings indicate that limited functional recovery can be enhanced by combining transplants with systemic injections of putative neurotrophic factors.