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A training paradigm to enhance motor recovery in contused rats: effects of staircase training
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

A training paradigm to enhance motor recovery in contused rats: effects of staircase training

Anita Singh, Marion Murray and John D Houle
Neurorehabilitation and neural repair, v 25(1), pp 24-34
Jan 2011
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1545968310378510
PMID: 20858910
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
url
https://doi.org/10.1177/1545968310378510View
Published, Version of Record (VoR)Maybe Open Access (Publisher Bronze),  Open

Abstract

Motor Activity - physiology Spinal Cord Injuries - complications Spinal Cord Injuries - etiology Rats Male Gait - physiology Psychomotor Performance - physiology Rats, Sprague-Dawley Exploratory Behavior - physiology Hindlimb - physiopathology Animals Time Factors Statistics, Nonparametric Laminectomy - adverse effects Physical Therapy Modalities Recovery of Function - physiology Female Spinal Cord Injuries - rehabilitation Muscular Atrophy - etiology Disease Models, Animal
Ambulating on stairs is an important aspect of daily activities for many individuals with incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI), and little is known about the effect of training for this specific task. The goal of this study was to determine whether staircase ascent training enhances motor recovery in animals with contusion injury. Rats received a midthoracic contusion lesion of moderate severity and were randomly divided into 2 groups, with one group receiving staircase ascent training for up to 8 weeks and the other receiving no training. To assess the direct effect of training, a task-specific staircase climbing test was performed. Open field test (BBB) and gait analysis (CatWalk) assessed overground recovery, and a grid test was used to assess improvement in sensorimotor tasks. Changes in muscle mass of the forelimb and hindlimb muscles were also measured, and the extent of spared white matter was determined for lesion verification and anatomical correlations. Staircase training improved the task-specific performance of ascent. Gait parameters, including base of support, stride length, regularity index (RI), and step sequence, also improved. Overground locomotion and the grid test, both showed a trend of improved performance. Finally, hindlimb muscle mass was maintained with training. Staircase ascent training after incomplete SCI has beneficial effects on task-specific as well as nonspecific motor and sensorimotor activities.

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23 citations in Web of Science
22 citations in Scopus

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Web of Science research areas
Clinical Neurology
Rehabilitation
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