Unilateral Vestibular Deafferentation Induces Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) Protein Expression in the Guinea Pig Lateral but not Medial Vestibular Nuclei

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression of the neurotrophin, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), in the vestibular nucleus complex (VNC) following unilateral vestibular deafferentation (UVD). Using immunohistochemistry, BDNF expression was analyzed in the bilateral VNC of the guinea pig in sham animals, and immediately, 10 h, and 50 h post-UVD. No BDNF expression was seen in the VNC in sham animals or immediately or 10 h post-UVD. However, at 50 h post-UVD, clear BDNF expression was seen in the bilateral lateral vestibular nuclei (LVN) and in the bilateral abducens nuclei, but not in the medial vestibular nuclei (MVN). The significance of this late BDNF expression is unclear.