Behavioural recovery following striatal transplantation: effects of postoperative training and P-zone volume

Rats were trained on an operant task and then received striatal lesions and grafts. Grafts were derived either from whole-ganglionic eminences or rest ricted to the lateral eminence. When retested 4 months later; graft-associa ted behavioural recovery was only apparent with extensive retesting. There was no difference in performance between rats that received whole-dissectio n or lateral-dissection grafts, and no correlation between performance and the amount of striatal-like (P-zone) tissue within the graft. It is suggest ed that P-zone reconstruction may be necessary, but not sufficient for beha vioural recovery, which may additionally depend upon rehabilitative trainin g.