摘要The present study employed a rat model of T10 spinal cord transection. Western blot analyses revealed increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in spinal cord segments caudal to the transection site following injection of replication incompetent herpes simplex virus vector (HSV-BDNF) into the subarachnoid space. In addition, hindlimb locomotor functions were improved. In contrast, BDNF levels decreased following treatment with replication defective herpes simplex virus vector construct small interference BDNF (HSV-siBDNF). Moreover, hindlimb locomotor functions gradually worsened. Compared with the replication incompetent herpes simplex virus vector control group, extracellular signal regulated kinase1/2 expression increased in the HSV-BDNF group on days 14 and 28 after spinal cord transection, but expression was reduced in the HSV-siBDNF group. These results suggested that BDNF plays an important role in neural plasticity via extracellular signal regulated kinase1/2 signaling pathway in a rat model of adult spinal cord transection.