Multiple sclerosis (MS) affects an estimated one million people in the US alone (Wallin et al., 2019). We modeled MS in rats using lysolecithin injection into the corpus callosum to diminish motor function unilaterally through demyelination, meanwhile treating the injury with Fluoxetine, Ibuprofen, and ascorbic acid (FIAA) to increase neurogenesis and oligodendrogenesis. Motor function was assessed using the Montoya Staircase test pre- and post-surgery. Motor capabilities recovered in the contralateral limb, but not in the ipsilateral, and recovery was not significantly affected by treatment. We identified microglia by CX3CR1 and examined its distribution in the adult neurogenic niche, the SVZ of the lateral ventricles. Microglia displayed significant regional differences with posterior ventricle slices containing more microglial area than those of the anterior, and the treatment had no significant effect on this distribution. We found CX3CR1 area to be more negatively correlated with functional recovery in treated animals compared to controls, indicating that the treatment may favor recovery in animals with a greater proportion of activated microglia
