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Abstract
That neuroplasticity occurs in mammalian spinal cord is well known, though the underlying mechanism still awaits elucidation. This study evaluated the role of endogenous Neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) in the spinal neuroplasticity. Following cord transection at the junction between T9 and T10, the hindlimb locomotor functions of rats showed gradual but significant improvement from 7 to 28 days post-operation. Corresponding to this was a significant increase in the level of NT-3 in the cord segments caudal to injury site. Significantly, after NT-3-antibody administration, the spinal transected rats displayed poor hindlimb locomotor functions and a decrease in the number of neurons in spinal laminae VIII–IX. Whether NT-3-antibody was administered, corticospinal tract regeneration and somatosensory evoked potentials could not be detected. Our findings suggested that endogenous NT-3 could play an important role in spinal plasticity in adult spinal cords subjected to transection, possibly through a regulation of neuronal activity in the local circuitry.