Spinal Plasticity and Behavior: BDNF-Induced Neuromodulation in Uninjured and Injured Spinal Cord

Figure 4

Role of BDNF in the protective effect of spinal instrumental training. (a) The necessity for endogenous BDNF in the spinal training effect. Rats received an intrathecal injection of either vehicle (saline) or the BDNF inhibitor TrkB-IgG and then either spinal instrumental training (trained) or none (untrained), followed by 6 min of uncontrollable shock. All subjects were then tested for instrumental learning over 30 minutes. Vehicle-treated subjects that were not trained prior to uncontrollable shock (vehicle-untrained) exhibited a learning deficit, whereas those prior training protected against this deficit (vehicle-trained). Subjects that received TrkB-IgG exhibited a learning deficit, regardless of training, indicating a necessary role for endogenous BDNF in the protective effect of spinal training. (b) To test the sufficiency for BDNF in the protective effect against uncontrollable shock, either vehicle or intrathecal BDNF was delivered prior to 6 minutes of uncontrollable shock. Rats that received vehicle prior to uncontrollable shock exhibited a deficit when tested for instrumental learning. Those treated with BDNF prior to uncontrollable shock were able to learn, indicating that BDNF is sufficient to protect against the maladaptive effects of uncontrollable shock (). Error bars indicate SEM. Adapted from Huie et al. [91].

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