Abstract: Objective To explore the effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation(rTMS)on spinal cord injured rats.Methods Weight-drop spinal cord injury model was made at thoracic 10 segments with NYU impactor device.Stimulated group received daily superthreshold rTMS continued for 4 weeks.BBB locomotor scores were recorded weekly.Growth associated protein 43(GAP43)and 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT)were detected with immunofluorescence staining in the area of rostral and caudal to the lesion.Results The BBB scores in stimulation group improved compared with that in the control(P<0.01).GAP43 and 5-HT markers increased in the stimulation group(P<0.01),and they increased in the rostral than in the caudal areas(P<0.01).Conclusion rTMS can improve the locomotor function of incomplete spinal cord injury rats,which may result from the increase of expression of GAP43 and 5-HT.

Key words: spinal cord injury, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation(rTMS), growth associated protein 43(GAP43), 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT)