Baclofen facilitates sleep, neuroplasticity, and recovery after stroke in rats

Of course it's going to facilitate sleep, I hated it because it just caused massive amounts of fatigue and I couldn't see any progress in fixing any problems, spasticity or muscle movement.
Baclofen facilitates sleep, neuroplasticity, and recovery after stroke in rats

1. Aleksandra Hodor^1,†,*,
2. Svitlana Palchykova¹,
3. Francesca Baracchi¹,
4. Daniela Noain² and
5. Claudio L. Bassetti¹

Article first published online: 14 OCT 2014

DOI: 10.1002/acn3.115

Abstract

Objective

Sleep disruption in the acute phase after stroke has detrimental effects on recovery in both humans and animals. Conversely, the effect of sleep promotion remains unclear. Baclofen (Bac) is a known non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep-promoting drug in both humans and animals. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Bac on stroke recovery in a rat model of focal cerebral ischemia (isch).

Methods

Rats, assigned to three experimental groups (Bac/isch, saline/isch, or Bac/sham), were injected twice daily for 10 consecutive days with Bac or saline, starting 24 h after induction of stroke. The sleep–wake cycle was assessed by EEG recordings and functional motor recovery by single pellet reaching test (SPR). In order to identify potential neuroplasticity mechanisms, axonal sprouting and neurogenesis were evaluated. Brain damage was assessed by Nissl staining.

Results

Repeated Bac treatment after ischemia affected sleep, motor function, and neuroplasticity, but not the size of brain damage. NREM sleep amount was increased significantly during the dark phase in Bac/isch compared to the saline/isch group. SPR performance dropped to 0 immediately after stroke and was recovered slowly thereafter in both ischemic groups. However, Bac-treated ischemic rats performed significantly better than saline-treated animals. Axonal sprouting in the ipsilesional motor cortex and striatum, and neurogenesis in the peri-infarct region were significantly increased in Bac/isch group.

Conclusion

Delayed repeated Bac treatment after stroke increased NREM sleep and promoted both neuroplasticity and functional outcome. These data support the hypothesis of the role of sleep as a modulator of poststroke recovery.