Figure 3

Traumatic brain injury causes neurobehavioral disorders. Neurological functions evaluation after TBI. The behavioral test battery consisted of three memory tests (Y maze, radial maze, and passive avoidance), two motor tests (rotarod and inclined plane), and one modified neurological severity score (mNSS) were performed before the operation (pre-OP) and at 7 days to 9 months after surgery. (A) The TBI and rmTBI rats showed a lower level of alternation at different times on the Y maze after neurotrauma. Compared to the sham group, the (B) retention time (latency period, seconds), (C) working memory errors, and (D) reference memory errors on the radial-arm maze test were significantly increased in both TBI and rmTBI groups. On the passive avoidance test, the retention latency (E) was significantly shorter, and the number of errors (F) was significantly higher in TBI and rmTBI rats than that in sham animals from day 7 to month 9. The TBI and rmTBI groups had significantly decreased (G) mean velocity (speed, RPM) and (H) the latency (s) in the rotarod test compared to the sham group. (I) The inclined plane was used to measure limb strength. The higher the maximal angle a rat could hold on to the plane, the less severe the injury was. Compared to the sham group, the TBI and rmTBI groups of rats had a significant decrease in the maximal angle. (J) mNSS was used to assess neurological deficits. The higher the score is, the more severe the injury. Compared to the sham group, the TBI and rmTBI groups of rats had a significantly higher mNSS. Data are presented as mean ± SD (n = 20 of Sham, n = 8–16 of TBI, and n = 16–20 of rmTBI). *P < 0.05, compared with the sham group. ⁺P < 0.05, compared with the TBI group.