Abstract： Objective To investigate the effects of functional electrical stimulation (FES) on endogenous proliferation of the neural stem cells within the brain and the behaviors in rats with acute cerebral infarction and explore the FES therapeutic mechanism on improving the neural function after the cerebral infarction. Methods Fifty-four SD adult male rats were randomly allocated into FES treatment group, placebo stimulation group and sham-operated group (n=18). Focal cerebral infarction models were induced by the performent of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in rats; the FES treatment group began receiving the FES (10 min/d, once dairy) and the placebo stimulation group did not give any special treatment since the 3rd day of the successful model inducement. The expression of nestin positive cells in the hippocampus subgranular zone and subventricular zone was examined by immunohistochemistry staining and the expression of nestin protein at ischemia side was detected by Western blot analysis on the 3rd, 7th and 14th d after MCAO; meanwhile, the behavior functions of rats at various time points were evaluated. Results The number of nestin positive cells in the hippocampus subgranular zone and subventricular zone and the expression of nestin protein from ischemia side brain in the FES treatment group significantly increased than those in the placebo stimulation group on the 7th and 14th d after MCAO (P<0.05). And statistical difference was noted on the 14th d on the behavior functional evaluation between the FES treatment group and the placebo stimulation group (P<0.05). Conclusion FES may enhance the endogenous proliferation of the neural stem cells within the brain in rats with acute cerebral infarction and improve the behavior function in rats, which may be one of the mechanisms of FES on improving the neural function after cerebral infarction.