The use of fetal neocortical transplants to treat the hyperactivity resulting from cortical suction lesions in adult rats

Focal suction lesions of the right frontoparietal cortex in rats produce locomotor hyperactivity. We attempted to reverse these changes by grafting homologous cortex from 16-day-old embryos into the lesion site. Various aspects of activity were measured in computerized photocell chambers until 14 weeks past transplantation. Three groups of animals were tested: sham-operated controls, lesions only (LO), and lesion plus transplant (LT). Hyperactivity was demonstrated for all measures in LO and/or LT groups. There was a partial reversal by the transplants of the increases in vertical activity produced by lesions at 14 weeks after transplant. However, on other measures, such as distance per movement, only LT animals were ever hyperactive, and on others, such as total distance, hyperactivity appeared earlier in the LT group than in LO. Brain chemistry analyses revealed right-sided norepinephrine depletions in posterior cortex in all groups and a bilateral cortical serotonin depletion in LT animals only. Results suggest that transplanted tissue can either ameliorate or exacerbate locomotor changes produced by cortical ablation depending on the particular behavior and on when it is measured.