Early rehabilitative approach enhances expression of neurotrophic factor and synaptic plasticity in cortex on the rat cerebral infarction

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There is limited evidence regarding the effects of rehabilitation on functional recovery on stroke patients. In particular, there are few studies focusing on the relationship of exercise, functional recovery and the expression of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF).Objectives : We investigated the difference of functional recovery between non-exercise and beam-walking exercise group, and the no expression of GDNF on hemiplegic rat with exercise was examined. Methods : 22 adult Wistar rats (231±12g) were used. These animals were divided into two groups : non-exercise (n=11) and beam-walking exercise (n=11). All rats underwent surgical photochemical infarction at the age of 7 weeks. Rats in the beam-walking exercise group, beam-walking exercises were performed for 20 min everyday for 14 days and non-exercise group were left to follow a natural course. Both groups were evaluated every day with performance scale. 42 adult Wistar rats (232±9.5g) were used. These animals were divided into two groups : non-exercise (n =24),and beam-walking exercise (n=18). At various time points (1 day, 3 days, 5 days, 7 days and 14 days)after photochemical infarction, the brains were removed under deep anesthesia. The expression of GDNF was examined by immunohistochemical analyses. Results : Functional recovery of the beam-walking exercise group was significantly earlier than that of the non-exercise group. On 3 days after infarction, GDNF positive cells of the beam-walking exercise group in the temporal cortex surrounding the infarction were significantly higher than that of the non-exercise group. At the same time window, rats recovered motor function remarkably and the number of GDNF-like immunoreactive cells reached the maximum. Conclusions : The role of GDNF protein after photochemical infarction might be caused the plasticity of the brain rather than the nerve protection.