en فيزيولوژی ورزشی و شاخه‌های وابسته بدان Sport Physiology and its related branches مقاله اصیل Original Article <div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Background. </strong>Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes motor deficits due to neuronal loss and impaired axonal regeneration. Neurotrophins and rehabilitation strategies such as exercise and FES may enhance neuroplasticity and recovery.<br> <strong>Objectives.</strong> We aimed to investigate the combined effects of aerobic exercise and functional electrical stimulation on NT-3, NT-4, and GDNF gene expression and locomotor recovery in a rat model of spinal cord injury.<br> <strong>Methods. </strong>Utilizing thirty-three adult male Wistar rats that were randomly assigned to five groups of healthy control, SCI control, SCI with exercise, SCI with FES, and SCI with combined exercise and FES, SCI induction was performed at the T11 vertebral level, where animals in the intervention groups underwent seven days of treadmill-based aerobic training and/or spinal electrical stimulation. The Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) scale was used to assess locomotor recovery. Gene expression levels of NT-3, NT-4, and GDNF were investigated using qRT-PCR.<br> <strong>Results. </strong>FES improved locomotor function at week 2 (P=0.03), while exercise was effective from week 4 (P=0.02). Combined therapy showed greatest recovery (week 6: F=93.74, P=0.002). NT-3, NT-4, and GDNF were significantly upregulated (p<0.01).<br> <strong>Conclusion.</strong> The combined administration of FES and aerobic exercises enhances motor recovery, resulting in upregulation of the expression of neurotrophic factors in SCI rats, holding promise as a therapeutic strategy for SCI rehabilitation.</div> Spinal Cord Injury, Neurotrophic Factors, Functional Electrical Stimulation, Exercise, Gene Expression 0 0 http://aassjournal.com/browse.php?a_code=A-11-2560-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Seyed Hesam Hojjat Hojyhesam2000@gmail.com 100319475328460017685 0009-0004-9186-8274 No Faculty of Medicine, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran Saleh Lashkari dr.saleh.lashkari@gmail.com 100319475328460017686 100319475328460017686 No Heath Technology Research Center, Imam Reza International University, Mashhad, Iran Sima Joharinia joharinia.sima@gmail.com 100319475328460017687 100319475328460017687 No Department of Sport Sciences, University of Bojnord, Bojnord, Iran Mohamad Amin Forghani Forqani.printing7@gmail.com 100319475328460017688 100319475328460017688 No Faculty of Medicine, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran Mohamad Amin Younessi Heravi a.younessi@nkums.ac.ir 100319475328460017689 100319475328460017689 Yes Department of Radiology and Medical Physics, School of Allied Medical Sciences, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran