The effects of focal brain damage on fracture healing: An experimental rat study

Objectives: This study aims to investigate whether the motor cortex (MC) or the somatosensory cortex (SC) is more active during the course of bone healing after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Materials and methods: Thirty-three male Wistar albino rats (age, 8 to 10 months; weighing, 250 to 300 g) were randomized into three groups as the control group, MC damage group and SC damage group. Two rats from each brain damage group were sacrificed to verify the locations of the cortical injuries. Callus formation, callus/diaphysis ratios, and serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels were measured at one, three and six weeks. Results: The increases in callus masses in the control, MC, and SC groups were statistically significantly different between one and three weeks (p<0.05). Although this increase in the MC and SC groups was significant compared to the control group at the end of one week, no statistically significant difference was found between the MC and SC groups (p>0.05). There was a statistically significant difference in callus/diaphysis ratio between control, MC and SC groups in favor of MC group only at one week (p<0.05). The increase in serum ALP levels at three weeks was statistically significantly different in the MC and SC groups compared to the control group and significantly higher in the MC group compared to the SC group (p<0.05). Conclusion: There is a possible relationship between enhanced fracture healing after TBI and damage in the MC. Motor cortex plays a more active role on fracture healing in TBI.