A nerve cell culture apparatus, comprising: an implant module which is implanted in an intended in vivo site, which is a damaged or ruptured area of the spinal cord or cranial nerve, of a mammalian model animal, and which places nerve cells, and a guide member for guiding neurites of the nerve cells in an elongation direction, on a culture substrate, wherein the implant module includes one or more electrodes, wherein the one electrode is implanted at the in vivo site or the plurality of electrodes are disposed radially around the in vivo site; at least one electrode as a bioelectric potential detection unit, which is mounted on a central nervous system side above the implant module, and especially additionally on a peripheral nervous system side below the implant module, and detects a nerve action potential resulting from a biological activity of the model animal with reference to the in vivo site; a motion transmission mechanism (20, 107) which is connected to a driving source (21, 123) and to a holding part (12a, 12b) for holding a foot of each leg of the model animal, and transmits the power of the driving source (21, 123) to the holding part (12a, 12b) so that the holding part (12a, 12b) swings at a same or approximate trajectory as a natural walking motion pattern of the model animal; a treadmill which has a walking belt, wherein the motion transmission mechanism (20, 107) is configured to position the holding part (12a, 12b) such that the holding part (12a, 12b) can come into contact with the walking belt, and causes the walking belt to move in a circular motion according to a rotation of rollers; and a control unit which causes the driving source (21, 123) connected to the motion transmission mechanism (20, 107) to generate power according to an intent of the model animal based on each of the nerve action potentials detected by the bioelectric potential detection unit(s); wherein the control unit controls the power of the driving source (21, 123) based on a swing angle of the holding part (12a, 12b), and examines a cell activity of the nerve cells based on a measurement of changes in the nerve action potential while controlling a moving speed of the walking belt according to a walking motion of the model animal. an implant module which is implanted in an intended in vivo site, which is a damaged or ruptured area of the spinal cord or cranial nerve, of a mammalian model animal, and which places nerve cells, and a guide member for guiding neurites of the nerve cells in an elongation direction, on a culture substrate, wherein the implant module includes one or more electrodes, wherein the one electrode is implanted at the in vivo site or the plurality of electrodes are disposed radially around the in vivo site; at least one electrode as a bioelectric potential detection unit, which is mounted on a central nervous system side above the implant module, and especially additionally on a peripheral nervous system side below the implant module, and detects a nerve action potential resulting from a biological activity of the model animal with reference to the in vivo site; a motion transmission mechanism (20, 107) which is connected to a driving source (21, 123) and to a holding part (12a, 12b) for holding a foot of each leg of the model animal, and transmits the power of the driving source (21, 123) to the holding part (12a, 12b) so that the holding part (12a, 12b) swings at a same or approximate trajectory as a natural walking motion pattern of the model animal; a treadmill which has a walking belt, wherein the motion transmission mechanism (20, 107) is configured to position the holding part (12a, 12b) such that the holding part (12a, 12b) can come into contact with the walking belt, and causes the walking belt to move in a circular motion according to a rotation of rollers; and a control unit which causes the driving source (21, 123) connected to the motion transmission mechanism (20, 107) to generate power according to an intent of the model animal based on each of the nerve action potentials detected by the bioelectric potential detection unit(s); wherein the control unit controls the power of the driving source (21, 123) based on a swing angle of the holding part (12a, 12b), and examines a cell activity of the nerve cells based on a measurement of changes in the nerve action potential while controlling a moving speed of the walking belt according to a walking motion of the model animal.