Studies of Mechanisms of Pharmacological Enhancement of Functional Recovery After Cortical Contusion

Abstract

Electrophysiology, autoradiography, histochemistry, biochemistry, anatomical, and behavioral research techniques were used in studies to examine remote functional depressions, and the effects of drug treatments on some of these measures, in rats with unilateral ablation of the sensorimotor cortex (SMCx) or traumatic brain injury (contusion; TBI) centered over the SMCx. In addition to d-amphetamine (d-AMPH), drugs increasing norepinephrine (NE) release were found to accelerate beam-walking (BW) recovery in rats with SMCx ablation. The dose of d-AMPH required to induce BW recovery after TBI was dependent upon whether the right or left hemisphere was damaged and/or the extent of damage to midline cortex. Drugs decreasing NE levels or blocking alphal-NE receptors were found to reinstate BW deficits in rats after SMCx ablation.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 29, 1993
Accession Number
ADA266059

Entities

People

  • Richard L. Sutton

Organizations

  • University of New Mexico

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Amino Acids
  • Amnesia
  • Arteries
  • Brain
  • Brain Injuries
  • Chemistry
  • Health Services
  • Liquid Chromatography
  • Metabolism
  • Neurosciences

Fields of Study

  • Biology
  • Medicine
  • Psychology

Readers

  • Neuroscience