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Abstract

A potential treatment for millions of new cases of traumatic brain injury (TBI) may be through the transplantation of genetically modified adult bone marrow stem cells (BMSC) in the form of neurospheres. This study examined behavioral recovery in the controlled cortical impact (CCI), a rodent model of TBI, after neurosphere transplantation. Rats received a unilateral CCI over the forelimb sensorimotor cortex. Seven days post-CCI, neurospheres or vehicle control were injected within the cortex or striatum. Forelimb deficits were assessed with two behavioral tests for two months. The test results indicated striatal neurosphere transplants significantly reduced deficits in both behavior tests while other transplantation combinations only resulted in enhancements within either behavioral test or injection site. Results suggest that neurosphere transplantation may be effective in enhancing behavioral recovery following TBI and striatum transplantation may provide a more optimal transplant site than cortex.

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