ELECTROPHYSIOLOGICAL IMPROVEMENT AFTER COIMPLANTATION OF CARBON FILAMENTS AND FETAL TISSUE IN THE CONTUSED RAT SPINAL-CORD

The electrophysiological integrity of the adult rat spinal cord was as sessed at the lumbar, lower cervical and cortical levels after the ani mals sustained a severe contusion injury at the mid-thoracic level (T8 ) and received either carbon filament cultured with fetal spinal cord tissue implants, fetal tissue implants, or carbon filament implants al one. Somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) and motor evoked potentia ls (MEPs) were recorded from all animal groups at the end of the 8-wee k survival period. The results of this study demonstrate that the spin al cord injured animals that received carbon filament cultured with fe tal spinal cord tissue implants had the highest degree of electrophysi ological recovery, indicating that this combination plays an important role in promoting recovery after injury.