Abstract: Objective To investigate the curative effect of nerve growth factor on severe craniocerebral injury and its influence on the levels of matrix metalloproteinase-2(MMP-2) and neuron-specific enolase(NSE),to provide reference for the treatment of patients with severe craniocerebral injury. Methods The clinical data of 91 cases of severe craniocerebral injury in our hospital between June,2014 and December,2015 was reviewed.The control group(44 cases) received conventional symptomatic treatment,while the observation group(47 cases) received additional nerve growth factor treatment on the basis of conventional treatment.The levels of serum NSE and MMP-2,GCS score and the incidence of adverse incidence before and after the treatment were compared between the two groups. Results The serum level of MMP-2 and NSE at 14 d after the treatment in observation group was significantly lower than that before the treatment,the level of MMP-2 at d 14 after the treatment in the observation group was obviously higher than that in the control group,while the level of NSE at 14 d after the treatment in the observation group was lower than that in the control group,the difference was all statistically significant(P<0.05);GCS score of 14 days after treatment in Two groups was significantly higher than before treatment,GCS score at 14 d after the treatment in the observation group was significantly greater than that in the control group,the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05);After two weeks of treatment,the incidence of adverse reaction in the observation group was 14.89% (nausea and vomiting in 3 cases,dizziness in 2 cases,and lower extremity pain in 2 cases) and in the control group was 9.09% (nausea and vomiting in 2 cases,dizziness in 1 cases,and arrhythmia in 1 cases),there were no statistically significant difference(χ²=0.720,P=0.396). Conclusion The nerve growth factor can obviously reduce the serum level of MMP-2 and NSE,and contribute to the recovery of neural function with a good security.