Suppression of FoxO3a attenuates neurobehavioral deficits after traumatic brain injury through inhibiting neuronal autophagy.

•FoxO3a was highly expressed in TBI patients and experimental TBI model.•FoxO3a knockdown ameliorated neurological deficits and neuronal damage after TBI.•FoxO3a konckdown inhibited TBI-induced autophagy activation.•Activated autophagy involved in neurological deficits after TBI.•FoxO3a knockdown conferred neuroprotective effects by suppressing autophagy activation.