The synthetic glucocorticosteroid methylprednisolone sodium succinate (MPSS) has been clinically used for the treatment of acute spinal cord injury (SCI) to promote the recovery of neurological functions. However, the mechanisms of its beneficial actions are not entirely understood. Experimental evidence suggests that MPSS may contribute to some extent to neuroprotection in SCI. On the other hand, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) acts as a potent survival factor for several neuronal populations, providing a therapeutic promise for neurological disorders. This experiment demonstrated, for the first time, the time-effect relationship of MPSS on GDNF gene expression and protein synthesis in the injured spinal cord tissues.