Objective    To observe the effect of the human cord blood mesenchymal stem cells transplanted into hippocampus CA1 area of vascular dementia rats

and the possible synergistic effect of intraperitoneal injection of monosialoganglioside (GM1).      Methods    Human cord blood was collected with informed consent

and the stem cells were screened

culture

d

purified

then were marked with BrdU. A total of 120 2VO dementia-established rats were randomly and equally divided into the model group

cell transplant group (1.5×10

5

cultured cells)

GM1 injection group(10 mg/kg

once a day for 14 d)

and combination group

and another 5 normal rats served as control group. Five rats of every group besides control group were killed on days 1

3

7

14

21 and 28 for pathological observation. The function of learning and memory were examined with the Morris water maze on day 28. The survival BrdU marked cells and the growth associated protein-43 (GAP-43) positive cells were detected by immunohistochemical staining.     Results    The learning and memory ability was decreased obviously in the rats of model group

but the situation was improved in the 3 treatment group

especially in combination group. The transplanted cells were survival in the brain and gathered in the hippocampus area

and those in combination group demonstrated more survival cells from day 14. There were more proliferated-GAP-43-positive cells around the injection site and in the cortex in the treatment groups

and the most cells were observed in combination group.     Conclusion    The human cord blood stem cells can survive in rat brain

and improve the cognitive function of vascular dementia rats. Intraperitoneal injection of GM1 exerts a synergistic effect in this treatment.