Files and links (1)
Published, Version of Record (VoR)Open Access (License Unspecified), Open
Journal article
Anatomical Plasticity of Rostrally Terminating Axons as a Possible Bridging Substrate across a Spinal Injury
Journal of neurotrauma, v 37(6), pp 877-888
15 Mar 2020
PMID: 31774025
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Transfer of information across a spinal lesion is required for many aspects of recovery across diverse motor systems. Our understanding of axonal plasticity and which subpopulations of neurons may contribute to bridging substrates following injury, however, remains relatively incomplete. Most recently, attention has been directed to propriospinal neurons (PSNs), with research suggesting that they are capable of bridging a spinal lesion in rodents. In the current study, subpopulations of both long (C5) and short (T6, T8) PSNs—as well as a supraspinal system, the rubrospinal tract (RST)—were assessed following low thoracic (T9) hemisection in the cat using the retrograde tracer Fluoro-Gold. Acutely, within 2 weeks post-hemisection, the numbers of short and long PSNs, as well as contralateral RST neurons, with axons crossing the lesion were significantly decreased relative to uninjured controls. This decrease persisted bilaterally and was permanent in the long PSNs and the contralateral red nucleus (RN). However, by 16 weeks post-hemisection, the numbers of ipsilesional and contralesional short PSNs bridging the lesion were significantly increased. Further, the number of contralesional contributing short PSNs was significantly greater in injured animals than in uninjured animals. A significant increase over uninjured numbers also was seen in the ipsilateral (non-axotomized) RN. These findings suggest that a novel substrate of undamaged axons, which normally terminates rostral to the lesion, grows past a thoracic lesion after injury. This rostral population represents a major component of the bridging substrate seen and may represent an important anatomical target for evolving rehabilitation approaches as a substrate capable of contributing to functional recovery.
Metrics
Details
- Title
- Anatomical Plasticity of Rostrally Terminating Axons as a Possible Bridging Substrate across a Spinal Injury
- Creators
- Adele E. Doperalski - American UniversityLynnette R. Montgomery - University of LouisvilleSarah E. Mondello - University of FloridaDena R. Howland - University of Florida
- Publication Details
- Journal of neurotrauma, v 37(6), pp 877-888
- Publisher
- Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Physical Therapy (and Rehabilitation Sciences)
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000504272100001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85081945653
- Other Identifier
- 991021867195704721
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:
InCites Highlights
Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:
- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Clinical Neurology
- Critical Care Medicine
- Neurosciences