['Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating condition causing neuronal loss. A key challenge in treatment of SCI is how to retain neurons after injury. Valproic acid (VPA) is a drug recently has been appreciated for its neuroprotective and neurotrophic properties in various SCI models. In this study the role of VPA was assessed in organotypic spinal cord slice culture following the contusion.', 'The lumbar enlargement of adult rat was cut transversely and slices were cultured. Seven days after culturing, injury was induced by dropping a 0.5 gram weight from 3\u2005cm height on the slice surface. One hour after injury, the VPA was administered at 1, 5 and 10\u2005µM concentrations. Afterward, at day 1 and 3 post injury (DPI: 1 and 3) propidium iodide (PI) and immunohistochemistry staining were performed to evaluate the cell death, NeuN and β-Tubulin expression, respectively.', "The PI staining of slices at DPI: 1 and 3 following treatment with VPA revealed significant decreases in the cell death in all three concentrations comparing to the non-treated group. Also immunostaining showed VPA only at 5\u2005µM concentration considerably rescued ventral horn' MNs from death and protected the neuronal integrity."] Does valproic acid preserve motoneurons following contusion in organotypic spinal cord slice culture?