Objective To study the effects of
propofol on
cognitive function and expression of
BDNF in the
cerebral cortex after the
traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Methods Forty-eight SD
rats treated with the
Morris water maze were randomly divided into 3 groups with 16
rats in each group.
Rats in the sham group were subjected to the
operative procedure but prevented from
traumatic brain injury.
Rats in the
control group and the
propofol group were subjected to the
traumatic brain injury named Feeney.After the operation,
rats in the
propofol group were injected
propofol for 6 hours.The neurological
functional status and the
cognitive function of
rats were assessed with NSS scores and
Morris water maze tests on 3d and 14d post operation.RT-PCR and Westeron Blot were used to detect the expressional changes of
BDNF in the injured
cerebral cortex.Results Compared with the sham group,NSS scores and the latencies of escape among
rats in the
control group were increased and times of crossing platform were decreased at 3d and 14 d post operation (P <0.01),and the
mRNA and
protein levels of
BDNF were decreased at 3d post operation (P <0.01).Compared with the
control group,the
mRNA and
protein levels of
BDNF in the
propofol treated
rats were increased at 3d and 14d post operation (P <0.01),NSS scores were lower at 14d (P <0.01),the latencies were shorter and the times were increased (P <0.01).Conclusion
Propofol improves the the expression of
BDNF in the injured
cerebral cortex and facilitates the recovery of the neurological and
cognitive function in
rats with traumatic
brain.