Among the parameters that can be tested in experiments on neuronal cell culture the use of different culture media and substrates represents a powerful assay to influence cell adhesion and differentiation. In this work, plasma-enhanced-chemical vapour depositions (PE-CVD) from acrylic acid and allylamine vapours have been performed to deposit coatings bearing oxygen (O)- and nitrogen (N)-containing functional groups on polyethylenetherephtalate (PET) surface. Human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells were grown on plasma modified substrates and in presence of media containing different amount of fetal calf serum (FCS) or in serum-free medium containing cAMP. Our results showed that N-containing substrates improved cell adhesion, while the neurites sprouting was influenced by cell culture media. Interestingly, the presence of carboxylic groups on the modified surface can influence the expression of a differentiation marker, neurofilament-200 (NF-H), in cells grown in serum-containing media.