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Dissertation
Identifying the substrate for successful robot rehabilitation in adult rats spinalized as neonates: the role of the trunk in locomotor recovery after complete low-thoracic transection
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Drexel University
Aug 2010
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/etd-3446
Abstract
Approximately 200,000 people live with spinal cord injury (SCI) worldwide, and more than 10,000 new cases are reported yearly. SCI patients suffer neurological deficits and severe functional loss below the level of injury, especially in cases where the cord is completely severed. After SCI, secondary injury processes worsen the damage, subsequently limiting the spinal cord's endogenous response to spontaneously repair and regenerate axons. This limits recovery of function. As a result, additional therapeutic interventions are often required to improve recovery. Unfortunately, there are no fully restorative therapies for SCI, but a lot of promising therapeutic techniques are currently being explored in animal models in labs across the globe. One promising animal model for studying SCI recovery is a thoracic spinal cord spinalization in neonatal rats. This injury completely inhibits hindlimb stepping and locomotion. Using this model, spinalized neonates (NTX) manage to recover autonomous hindlimb weight supported (HWS) stepping as adults. Furthermore, intracortical microstimulation, cortical lesioning, and locomotor kinematic findings from the Giszter lab have identified cortical reorganization of trunk representation and trunk control as essential elements for NTX recovery. Approximately 200,000 people live with spinal cord injury (SCI) worldwide, and more than 10,000 new cases are reported yearly. SCI patients suffer neurological deficits and severe functional loss below the level of injury, especially in cases where the cord is completely severed. After SCI, secondary injury processes worsen the damage, subsequently limiting the spinal cord's endogenous response to spontaneously repair and regenerate axons. This limits recovery of function. As a result, additional therapeutic interventions are often required to improve recovery. Unfortunately, there are no fully restorative therapies for SCI, but a lot of promising therapeutic techniques are currently being explored in animal models in labs across the globe. One promising animal model for studying SCI recovery is a thoracic spinal cord spinalization in neonatal rats. This injury completely inhibits hindlimb stepping and locomotion. Using this model, spinalized neonates (NTX) manage to recover autonomous hindlimb weight supported (HWS) stepping as adults. Furthermore, intracortical microstimulation, cortical lesioning, and locomotor kinematic findings from the Giszter lab have identified cortical reorganization of trunk representation and trunk control as essential elements for NTX recovery.
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Details
- Title
- Identifying the substrate for successful robot rehabilitation in adult rats spinalized as neonates
- Creators
- Ubong Ime Udoekwere - DU
- Contributors
- Simon F. Giszter (Advisor) - Drexel University (1970-)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems (1997-2026); Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 3446; 991014632170204721