The motor relearning program can significantly improve the functions of patients with brain ischemia, and can produce neuroprotective effects. However, the mechanism by which this therapy benefits brain functional repair and reconstruction post central lesion remains unknown. Several studies have established rat, gerbil, pig, dog and cat models of brain ischemia to investigate the neuronal regeneration and angiogenesis in the surroundings of injury site, but there are only a few primate studies.

Some questions in studies of nervous system repair include the influence of motor relearning program on neurons and astrocyte in injured brain tissues post brain ischemia, the influence on angiogenesis and blood flow in the surroundings of ischemic areas or ischemic penumbra, and whether this program promotes angiogenesis and increases secretion and growth of related factors that benefit angiogenesis in the injured area.

Neurofilament expression can reflect the growth of neurons and is used as a marker of neuronal function. Glial fibrillary acidic protein is a structural protein of intermediate fibers of astrocyte in the brain, and is used as a marker of mature and reactive astrocytes. Thus, neurofilament and glial fibrillary acidic protein changes can reflect the repair of injured neurons and astrocytes. Vascular endothelial growth factor can promote proliferation and migration of vascular endothelial cells, induce expression of corresponding ligand and receptor, increase levels of intercellular adhesion molecule and vascular cell adhesion molecule, upregulate expression of endothelial cell surface integrin receptor, degrade dense extracellular matrix, and promote angiogenesis. Basic fibroblast growth factor can trigger angiogenesis. Changes in expression of these factors are used to indicate angiogenesis in the surroundings of injured brain tissues. Thus, in the present study, we assessed neurofilament and glial fibrillary acidic protein to investigate neural regeneration, and determined vascular endothelial growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor expression to investigate angiogenesis, in injured brain tissues. In addition, single-photon emission CT (SPECT) was used to detect cerebral blood flow post brain ischemia to analyze the influence of the motor relearning program on blood supply of injured brain tissues. This may provide insight into the mechanism of the motor relearning program.

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