• Stephanie C Jefferson, Elyse Renee Clayton, Nicole A Donlan, Dorothy Annette Kozlowski, Theresa A Jones, and DeAnna Lynn Adkins.
• Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
• Neurorehabil Neural Repair. 2016 Feb 1; 30 (2): 155-8.

BackgroundElectrical and magnetic brain stimulation can improve motor function following stroke in humans, rats, and nonhuman primates, especially when paired with rehabilitative training (RT). Previously, we found in rodent stroke models that epidural electrical cortical stimulation (CS) of the ipsilesional motor cortex (MC) combined with motor RT enhances motor function and motor cortical plasticity. It was unknown whether CS following experimental traumatic brain injury (TBI) would have similar effects.ObjectiveTo test the effects of CS combined with motor training after moderate/severe TBI on behavioral outcome and motor cortical organization.MethodsFollowing unilateral controlled cortical impact (CCI) over the caudal forelimb area of the MC in adult male rats, forelimb reach training was administered daily for 9 weeks concurrently with subthreshold, 100-Hz monopolar CS or no-stimulation control procedures. The rate and magnitude of behavioral improvements and changes in forelimb movement representations in the injured MC as revealed by intracortical microstimulation were measured.ResultsCCI resulted in severe motor impairments persisting throughout the 9 weeks of training in both groups, but CS-treated animals had significantly greater behavioral improvements. CS also increased wrist motor cortical representation, one of the main movements used in the training task, when compared with RT alone. However, the overall recovery level was modest, leaving animals still extremely impaired.ConclusionsThese data suggest that CS may be useful for improving rehabilitation efficacy after TBI but also raise the possibility that the CS parameters that are highly effective following stroke are suboptimal after moderate/severe TBI.© The Author(s) 2015.

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