1
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Modi AD, Parekh A, Patel ZH. Methods for evaluating gait associated dynamic balance and coordination in rodents. Behav Brain Res 2024; 456:114695. [PMID: 37783346 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Balance is the dynamic and unconscious control of the body's centre of mass to maintain postural equilibrium. Regulated by the vestibular system, head movement and acceleration are processed by the brain to adjust joints. Several conditions result in a loss of balance, including Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, Menière's Disease and cervical spondylosis, all of which are caused by damage to certain parts of the vestibular pathways. Studies about the impairment of the vestibular system are challenging to carry out in human trials due to smaller study sizes limiting applications of the results and a lacking understanding of the human balance control mechanism. In contrast, more controlled research can be performed in animal studies which have fewer confounding factors than human models and allow specific conditions that affect balance to be replicated. Balance control can be studied using rodent balance-related behavioural tests after spinal or brain lesions, such as the Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan (BBB) Locomotor Scale, Foot Fault Scoring System, Ledged Beam Test, Beam Walking Test, and Ladder Beam Test, which are discussed in this review article along with their advantages and disadvantages. These tests can be performed in preclinical rodent models of femoral nerve injury, stroke, spinal cord injury and neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akshat D Modi
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto, Scarborough, Ontario M1C 1A4, Canada; Department of Genetics and Development, Krembil Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario M5T 0S8, Canada.
| | - Anavi Parekh
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A1, Canada
| | - Zeenal H Patel
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto, Scarborough, Ontario M1C 1A4, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Scarborough, Ontario M1C 1A4, Canada
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2
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Powers BE, Ton ST, Farrer RG, Chaudhary S, Nockels RP, Kartje GL, Tsai SY. Anti-Nogo-A Antibody Therapy Improves Functional Outcome Following Traumatic Brain Injury. Neurorehabil Neural Repair 2023; 37:682-693. [PMID: 37837331 PMCID: PMC10843026 DOI: 10.1177/15459683231203194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can cause sensorimotor deficits, and recovery is slow and incomplete. There are no effective pharmacological treatments for recovery from TBI, but research indicates potential for anti-Nogo-A antibody (Ab) therapy. This Ab neutralizes Nogo-A, an endogenous transmembrane protein that inhibits neuronal plasticity and regeneration. OBJECTIVE We hypothesized that anti-Nogo-A Ab treatment following TBI results in disinhibited axonal growth from the contralesional cortex, the establishment of new compensatory neuronal connections, and improved function. METHODS We modeled TBI in rats using the controlled cortical impact method, resulting in focal brain damage and motor deficits like those observed in humans with a moderate cortical TBI. Rats were trained on the skilled forelimb reaching task and the horizontal ladder rung walking task. They were then given a TBI, targeting the caudal forelimb motor cortex, and randomly divided into 3 groups: TBI-only, TBI + Anti-Nogo-A Ab, and TBI + Control Ab. Testing resumed 3 days after TBI and continued for 8 weeks, when rats received an injection of the anterograde neuronal tracer, biotinylated dextran amine (BDA), into the corresponding area contralateral to the TBI. RESULTS We observed significant improvement in rats that received anti-Nogo-A Ab treatment post-TBI compared to controls. Analysis of BDA-positive axons revealed that anti-Nogo-A Ab treatment resulted in cortico-rubral plasticity to the deafferented red nucleus. Conclusions. Anti-Nogo-A Ab treatment may improve functional recovery via neuronal plasticity to brain areas important for skilled movements, and this treatment shows promise to improve outcomes in humans who have suffered a TBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian E Powers
- Edward Hines Jr. Veteran Affairs Hospital, Hines, IL, USA
| | - Son T Ton
- Edward Hines Jr. Veteran Affairs Hospital, Hines, IL, USA
| | | | | | - Russ P Nockels
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Gwendolyn L Kartje
- Edward Hines Jr. Veteran Affairs Hospital, Hines, IL, USA
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Loyola University Health Sciences Division, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Shih-Yen Tsai
- Edward Hines Jr. Veteran Affairs Hospital, Hines, IL, USA
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3
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Sun CC, Zhang YW, Xing XX, Yang Q, Cao LY, Cheng YF, Zhao JW, Zhou ST, Cheng DD, Zhang Y, Hua XY, Wang H, Xu DS. Modified constraint-induced movement therapy enhances cortical plasticity in a rat model of traumatic brain injury: a resting-state functional MRI study. Neural Regen Res 2023; 18:410-415. [PMID: 35900438 PMCID: PMC9396520 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.344832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Modified constraint-induced movement therapy (mCIMT) has shown beneficial effects on motor function improvement after brain injury, but the exact mechanism remains unclear. In this study, amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF) metrics measured by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was obtained to investigate the efficacy and mechanism of mCIMT in a control cortical impact (CCI) rat model simulating traumatic brain injury. At 3 days after control cortical impact model establishment, we found that the mean ALFF (mALFF) signals were decreased in the left motor cortex, somatosensory cortex, insula cortex and the right motor cortex, and were increased in the right corpus callosum. After 3 weeks of an 8-hour daily mCIMT treatment, the mALFF values were significantly increased in the bilateral hemispheres compared with those at 3 days postoperatively. The mALFF signal values of left corpus callosum, left somatosensory cortex, right medial prefrontal cortex, right motor cortex, left postero dorsal hippocampus, left motor cortex, right corpus callosum, and right somatosensory cortex were increased in the mCIMT group compared with the control cortical impact group. Finally, we identified brain regions with significantly decreased mALFF values at 3 days postoperatively. Pearson correlation coefficients with the right forelimb sliding score indicated that the improvement in motor function of the affected upper limb was associated with an increase in mALFF values in these brain regions. Our findings suggest that functional cortical plasticity changes after brain injury, and that mCIMT is an effective method to improve affected upper limb motor function by promoting bilateral hemispheric cortical remodeling. mALFF values correlate with behavioral changes and can potentially be used as biomarkers to assess dynamic cortical plasticity after traumatic brain injury.
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Balçıkanlı Z, Culha I, Dilsiz P, Aydin MS, Ates N, Beker MC, Baltaci SB, Koc HI, Yigitbasi A, Gündogar M, Doeppner TR, Hermann DM, Kilic E. Lithium promotes long-term neurological recovery after spinal cord injury in mice by enhancing neuronal survival, gray and white matter remodeling, and long-distance axonal regeneration. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:1012523. [PMID: 36439202 PMCID: PMC9693752 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.1012523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) induces neurological deficits associated with long-term functional impairments. Since the current treatments remain ineffective, novel therapeutic options are needed. Besides its effect on bipolar mood disorder, lithium was reported to have neuroprotective activity in different neurodegenerative conditions, including SCI. In SCI, the effects of lithium on long-term neurological recovery and neuroplasticity have not been assessed. We herein investigated the effects of intraperitoneally administered lithium chloride (LiCl) on motor coordination recovery, electromyography (EMG) responses, histopathological injury and remodeling, and axonal plasticity in mice exposed to spinal cord transection. At a dose of 0.2, but not 2.0 mmol/kg, LiCl enhanced motor coordination and locomotor activity starting at 28 days post-injury (dpi), as assessed by a set of behavioral tests. Following electrical stimulation proximal to the hemitransection, LiCl at 0.2 mmol/kg decreased the latency and increased the amplitude of EMG responses in the denervated hindlimb at 56 dpi. Functional recovery was associated with reduced gray and white matter atrophy rostral and caudal to the hemitransection, increased neuronal survival and reduced astrogliosis in the dorsal and ventral horns caudal to the hemitransection, and increased regeneration of long-distance axons proximal and distal to the lesion site in mice receiving 0.2 mmol/kg, but not 2 mmol/kg LiCl, as assessed by histochemical and immunohistochemical studies combined with anterograde tract tracing. Our results indicate that LiCl induces long-term neurological recovery and neuroplasticity following SCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeynep Balçıkanlı
- Department of Physiology, Regenerative and Restorative Medical Research Center, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Irem Culha
- Department of Physiology, Regenerative and Restorative Medical Research Center, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Pelin Dilsiz
- Department of Physiology, Regenerative and Restorative Medical Research Center, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Serif Aydin
- Department of Physiology, Regenerative and Restorative Medical Research Center, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey
- Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technologies (SABITA), Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Nilay Ates
- Department of Physiology, Regenerative and Restorative Medical Research Center, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Mustafa Caglar Beker
- Department of Physiology, Regenerative and Restorative Medical Research Center, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Saltuk Bugra Baltaci
- Department of Physiology, Regenerative and Restorative Medical Research Center, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Halil I. Koc
- Department of Physiology, Regenerative and Restorative Medical Research Center, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ahmet Yigitbasi
- Department of Hematology, Medical Faculty, Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey
| | - Mustafa Gündogar
- Department of Physiology, Regenerative and Restorative Medical Research Center, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey
- Department of Endodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Thorsten R. Doeppner
- Department of Physiology, Regenerative and Restorative Medical Research Center, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Gießen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Dirk M. Hermann
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Ertugrul Kilic
- Department of Physiology, Regenerative and Restorative Medical Research Center, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey
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5
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Sun X, Huang LY, Pan HX, Li LJ, Wang L, Pei GQ, Wang Y, Zhang Q, Cheng HX, He CQ, Wei Q. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and exercise restore motor function following spinal cord injury by activating PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Neural Regen Res 2022; 18:1067-1075. [PMID: 36254995 PMCID: PMC9827790 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.355762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Although many therapeutic interventions have shown promise in treating spinal cord injury, focusing on a single aspect of repair cannot achieve successful and functional regeneration in patients following spinal cord injury . In this study, we applied a combinatorial approach for treating spinal cord injury involving neuroprotection and rehabilitation, exploiting cell transplantation and functional sensorimotor training to promote nerve regeneration and functional recovery. Here, we used a mouse model of thoracic contusive spinal cord injury to investigate whether the combination of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation and exercise training has a synergistic effect on functional restoration. Locomotor function was evaluated by the Basso Mouse Scale, horizontal ladder test, and footprint analysis. Magnetic resonance imaging, histological examination, transmission electron microscopy observation, immunofluorescence staining, and western blotting were performed 8 weeks after spinal cord injury to further explore the potential mechanism behind the synergistic repair effect. In vivo, the combination of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation and exercise showed a better therapeutic effect on motor function than the single treatments. Further investigations revealed that the combination of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation and exercise markedly reduced fibrotic scar tissue, protected neurons, and promoted axon and myelin protection. Additionally, the synergistic effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation and exercise on spinal cord injury recovery occurred via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. In vitro, experimental evidence from the PC12 cell line and primary cortical neuron culture also demonstrated that blocking of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway would aggravate neuronal damage. Thus, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation combined with exercise training can effectively restore motor function after spinal cord injury by activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Sun
- Rehabilitation Medical Center and Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China,Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine in Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Li-Yi Huang
- Rehabilitation Medical Center and Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China,Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine in Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Hong-Xia Pan
- Rehabilitation Medical Center and Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China,Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine in Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Li-Juan Li
- Rehabilitation Medical Center and Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China,Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine in Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Lu Wang
- Rehabilitation Medical Center and Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China,Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine in Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Gai-Qin Pei
- Rehabilitation Medical Center and Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China,Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine in Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Yang Wang
- Rehabilitation Medical Center and Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China,Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine in Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Qing Zhang
- Rehabilitation Medical Center and Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China,Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine in Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Hong-Xin Cheng
- Rehabilitation Medical Center and Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China,Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine in Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Cheng-Qi He
- Rehabilitation Medical Center and Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China,Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine in Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Quan Wei
- Rehabilitation Medical Center and Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China,Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine in Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China,Correspondence to: Quan Wei, .
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6
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Mitoquinone supplementation alleviates oxidative stress and pathologic outcomes following repetitive mild traumatic brain injury at a chronic time point. Exp Neurol 2022; 351:113987. [DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2022.113987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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7
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Tsai SY, Schreiber JA, Adamczyk NS, Wu JY, Ton ST, Hofler RC, Walter JS, O'Brien TE, Kartje GL, Nockels RP. Improved Functional Outcome After Peripheral Nerve Stimulation of the Impaired Forelimb Post-stroke. Front Neurol 2021; 12:610434. [PMID: 33959086 PMCID: PMC8093517 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.610434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Lack of blood flow to the brain, i.e., ischemic stroke, results in loss of nerve cells and therefore loss of function in the effected brain regions. There is no effective treatment to improve lost function except restoring blood flow within the first several hours. Rehabilitation strategies are widely used with limited success. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of electrical stimulation on the impaired upper extremity to improve functional recovery after stroke. We developed a rodent model using an electrode cuff implant onto a single peripheral nerve (median nerve) of the paretic forelimb and applied daily electrical stimulation. The skilled forelimb reaching test was used to evaluate functional outcome after stroke and electrical stimulation. Anterograde axonal tracing from layer V pyramidal neurons with biotinylated dextran amine was done to evaluate the formation of new neuronal connections from the contralesional cortex to the deafferented spinal cord. Rats receiving electrical stimulation on the median nerve showed significant improvement in the skilled forelimb reaching test in comparison with stroke only and stroke with sham stimulation. Rats that received electrical stimulation also exhibited significant improvement in the latency to initiate adhesive removal from the impaired forelimb, indicating better sensory recovery. Furthermore, axonal tracing analysis showed a significant higher midline fiber crossing index in the cervical spinal cord of rats receiving electrical stimulation. Our results indicate that direct peripheral nerve stimulation leads to improved sensorimotor recovery in the stroke-impaired forelimb, and may be a useful approach to improve post-stroke deficits in human patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shih-Yen Tsai
- Edward Hines Jr. Veteran Affairs Hospital, Hines, IL, United States
| | - Jennifer A Schreiber
- Edward Hines Jr. Veteran Affairs Hospital, Hines, IL, United States.,Department of Neurological Surgery, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, United States
| | | | - Joanna Y Wu
- Edward Hines Jr. Veteran Affairs Hospital, Hines, IL, United States
| | - Son T Ton
- Edward Hines Jr. Veteran Affairs Hospital, Hines, IL, United States
| | - Ryan C Hofler
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, United States
| | - James S Walter
- Edward Hines Jr. Veteran Affairs Hospital, Hines, IL, United States
| | - Timothy E O'Brien
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics and Institute of Environmental Sustainability, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Gwendolyn L Kartje
- Edward Hines Jr. Veteran Affairs Hospital, Hines, IL, United States.,Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Loyola University Chicago Health Science Division, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Russ P Nockels
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, United States
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8
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Use of the parallel beam task for skilled walking in a rat model of cerebral ischemia: A qualitative approach. LEARNING AND MOTIVATION 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lmot.2016.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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9
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Schönfeld LM, Dooley D, Jahanshahi A, Temel Y, Hendrix S. Evaluating rodent motor functions: Which tests to choose? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 83:298-312. [PMID: 29107829 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.10.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2017] [Revised: 09/18/2017] [Accepted: 10/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Damage to the motor cortex induced by stroke or traumatic brain injury (TBI) can result in chronic motor deficits. For the development and improvement of therapies, animal models which possess symptoms comparable to the clinical population are used. However, the use of experimental animals raises valid ethical and methodological concerns. To decrease discomfort by experimental procedures and to increase the quality of results, non-invasive and sensitive rodent motor tests are needed. A broad variety of rodent motor tests are available to determine deficits after stroke or TBI. The current review describes and evaluates motor tests that fall into three categories: Tests to evaluate fine motor skills and grip strength, tests for gait and inter-limb coordination and neurological deficit scores. In this review, we share our thoughts on standardized data presentation to increase data comparability between studies. We also critically evaluate current methods and provide recommendations for choosing the best behavioral test for a new research line.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa-Maria Schönfeld
- Comparative Psychology, Institute of Experimental Psychology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Dearbhaile Dooley
- Health Science Centre, School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Ali Jahanshahi
- Department of Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Yasin Temel
- Department of Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Department of Neurosurgery, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Sven Hendrix
- Department of Morphology, Biomedical Research Institute (BIOMED), Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium.
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10
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Hua XY, Qiu YQ, Wang M, Zheng MX, Li T, Shen YD, Jiang S, Xu JG, Gu YD, Tsien J, Xu WD. Enhancement of Contralesional Motor Control Promotes Locomotor Recovery after Unilateral Brain Lesion. Sci Rep 2016; 6:18784. [PMID: 26732072 PMCID: PMC4702126 DOI: 10.1038/srep18784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2014] [Accepted: 11/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
There have been controversies on the contribution of contralesional hemispheric compensation to functional recovery of the upper extremity after a unilateral brain lesion. Some studies have demonstrated that contralesional hemispheric compensation may be an important recovery mechanism. However, in many cases where the hemispheric lesion is large, this form of compensation is relatively limited, potentially due to insufficient connections from the contralesional hemisphere to the paralyzed side. Here, we used a new procedure to increase the effect of contralesional hemispheric compensation by surgically crossing a peripheral nerve at the neck in rats, which may provide a substantial increase in connections between the contralesional hemisphere and the paralyzed limb. This surgical procedure, named cross-neck C7-C7 nerve transfer, involves cutting the C7 nerve on the healthy side and transferring it to the C7 nerve on the paretic side. Intracortical microstimulation, Micro-PET and histological analysis were employed to explore the cortical changes in contralesional hemisphere and to reveal its correlation with behavioral recovery. These results showed that the contralesional hemispheric compensation was markedly strengthened and significantly related to behavioral improvements. The findings also revealed a feasible and effective way to maximize the potential of one hemisphere in controlling both limbs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu-Yun Hua
- Department of Hand Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan-Qun Qiu
- Department of Hand Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery, Jing'an District Central Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Meng Wang
- Hand-Foot Surgery Department, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong, China
| | - Mou-Xiong Zheng
- Department of Hand Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tie Li
- Department of Hand Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yun-Dong Shen
- Department of Hand Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Su Jiang
- Department of Hand Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian-Guang Xu
- Department of Hand Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu-Dong Gu
- Department of Hand Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - JoeZ Tsien
- Brain and Behavior Discovery Institute and Department of Neurology, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Health Sciences University, Augusta, GA 30907, USA.,Yunnan BanNa Primate Model Research Center, BanNa Biomedical Research Institute, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China
| | - Wen-Dong Xu
- Department of Hand Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery, Jing'an District Central Hospital, Shanghai, China.,State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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11
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Stout EE, Sirota MG, Beloozerova IN. Known and unexpected constraints evoke different kinematic, muscle, and motor cortical neuron responses during locomotion. Eur J Neurosci 2015; 42:2666-77. [PMID: 26302230 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2015] [Revised: 08/17/2015] [Accepted: 08/19/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
During navigation through complex natural environments, people and animals must adapt their movements when the environment changes. The neural mechanisms of such adaptations are poorly understood, especially with respect to constraints that are unexpected and must be adapted to quickly. In this study, we recorded forelimb-related kinematics, muscle activity, and the activity of motor cortical neurons in cats walking along a raised horizontal ladder, a complex locomotion task requiring accurate limb placement. One of the crosspieces was motorized, and displaced before the cat stepped on the ladder or at different points along the cat's progression over the ladder, either towards or away from the cat. We found that, when the crosspiece was displaced before the cat stepped onto the ladder, the kinematic modifications were complex and involved all forelimb joints. When the crosspiece displaced unexpectedly while the cat was on the ladder, the kinematic modifications were minimalistic and primarily involved distal joints. The activity of M. triceps and M. extensor digitorum communis differed based on the direction of displacement. Out of 151 neurons tested, 69% responded to at least one condition; however, neurons were significantly more likely to respond when crosspiece displacement was unexpected. Most often they responded during the swing phase. These results suggest that different neural mechanisms and motor control strategies are used to overcome constraints for locomotor movements depending on whether they are known or emerge unexpectedly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik E Stout
- Barrow Neurological Institute, St Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, 350 West Thomas Road, Phoenix, AZ, 85013, USA.,Arizona State University - Barrow Neurological Institute Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Mikhail G Sirota
- Barrow Neurological Institute, St Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, 350 West Thomas Road, Phoenix, AZ, 85013, USA
| | - Irina N Beloozerova
- Barrow Neurological Institute, St Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, 350 West Thomas Road, Phoenix, AZ, 85013, USA
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12
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Jones TA, Adkins DL. Motor System Reorganization After Stroke: Stimulating and Training Toward Perfection. Physiology (Bethesda) 2015; 30:358-70. [PMID: 26328881 PMCID: PMC4556825 DOI: 10.1152/physiol.00014.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Stroke instigates regenerative responses that reorganize connectivity patterns among surviving neurons. The new connectivity patterns can be suboptimal for behavioral function. This review summarizes current knowledge on post-stroke motor system reorganization and emerging strategies for shaping it with manipulations of behavior and cortical activity to improve functional outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa A Jones
- Psychology Department, Neuroscience Institute, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas; and
| | - DeAnna L Adkins
- Neurosciences Department, and Health Sciences & Research Department, Colleges of Medicine & Health Professions, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
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Koo HM, Lee SM, Kim MH. Spontaneous Wheel Running Exercise Induces Brain Recovery via Neurotrophin-3 Expression Following Experimental Traumatic Brain Injury in Rats. J Phys Ther Sci 2013; 25:1103-7. [PMID: 24259924 PMCID: PMC3818758 DOI: 10.1589/jpts.25.1103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2013] [Accepted: 04/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
[Purpose] The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression of
neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) after applying spontaneous wheel running exercises (SWR) after
experimental traumatic brain injury (TBI). [Subjects and Methods] Thirty male
Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups; 20 rats were subjected to controlled
cortical impact for TBI, and then, animals were randomly collected from the SWR group and
subjected to wheel running exercise for 3 weeks. Ten rats were not subjected to any injury
or running exercise to compare with the effect of TBI and SWR. Immunohistochemistry,
Western blotting, skilled ladder rung walking test, and 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium
chloride staining analysis for the evaluation of NT-3 expression were used to assess brain
damage and recovery. [Results] The TBI-induced decrease in NT-3 expression was recovered
by wheel running exercise. Moreover, decreased ischemic volume and progressive
neurobehavioral outcome were observed in the SWR group. [Conclusion] Spontaneous running
exercise promotes brain recovery and motor function through an increase in expression of
NT-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun Mo Koo
- Department of Physical Therapy, College of Science, Kyungsung University
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14
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Hoogewoud F, Hamadjida A, Wyss AF, Mir A, Schwab ME, Belhaj-Saif A, Rouiller EM. Comparison of functional recovery of manual dexterity after unilateral spinal cord lesion or motor cortex lesion in adult macaque monkeys. Front Neurol 2013; 4:101. [PMID: 23885254 PMCID: PMC3717526 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2013.00101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2013] [Accepted: 07/09/2013] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In relation to mechanisms involved in functional recovery of manual dexterity from cervical cord injury or from motor cortical injury, our goal was to determine whether the movements that characterize post-lesion functional recovery are comparable to original movement patterns or do monkeys adopt distinct strategies to compensate the deficits depending on the type of lesion? To this aim, data derived from earlier studies, using a skilled finger task (the modified Brinkman board from which pellets are retrieved from vertical or horizontal slots), in spinal cord and motor cortex injured monkeys were analyzed and compared. Twelve adult macaque monkeys were subjected to a hemi-section of the cervical cord (n = 6) or to a unilateral excitotoxic lesion of the hand representation in the primary motor cortex (n = 6). In addition, in each subgroup, one half of monkeys (n = 3) were treated for 30 days with a function blocking antibody against the neurite growth inhibitory protein Nogo-A, while the other half (n = 3) represented control animals. The motor deficits, and the extent and time course of functional recovery were assessed. For some of the parameters investigated (wrist angle for horizontal slots and movement types distribution for vertical slots after cervical injury; movement types distribution for horizontal slots after motor cortex lesion), post-lesion restoration of the original movement patterns (“true” recovery) led to a quantitatively better functional recovery. In the motor cortex lesion groups, pharmacological reversible inactivation experiments showed that the peri-lesion territory of the primary motor cortex or re-arranged, spared domain of the lesion zone, played a major role in the functional recovery, together with the ipsilesional intact premotor cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florence Hoogewoud
- Domain of Physiology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Sciences, Fribourg Cognition Center, University of Fribourg , Fribourg , Switzerland
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15
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Immunotherapeutic approaches in prion disease: progress, challenges and potential directions. Ther Deliv 2013; 4:615-28. [DOI: 10.4155/tde.13.30] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic trials utilizing animal models of prion disease have explored a variety of compounds and a number of approaches with varying success, including several immunotherapeutic strategies, such as passive immunization through the delivery of viruses carrying nucleic acid inserts encoding prion protein-specific immunoglobulin. Targeted, organ-specific cellular production of therapeutic proteins is a relatively unexplored approach in the treatment of neurodegeneration despite many successful experimental outcomes in animal models and human trials of other diseases of the CNS. Emphasizing studies utilizing mouse models of disease, this review outlines developments and limitations of immunological approaches to the treatment of prion diseases. In addition, the authors discuss the potential of an experimental therapeutic strategy, utilizing hybridoma cells injected directly into the CNS to establish long-term production of anti-prion antibodies in vivo within the organ associated with the greatest pathogenic change in prion disease, the brain.
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16
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Joo HW, Hyun JK, Kim TU, Chae SH, Lee YI, Lee SJ. Influence of constraint-induced movement therapy upon evoked potentials in rats with cerebral infarction. Eur J Neurosci 2012; 36:3691-7. [PMID: 23043504 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2012] [Revised: 09/02/2012] [Accepted: 09/06/2012] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) is an effective treatment promoting motor recovery of upper extremity function in stroke patients. The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of CIMT on the evoked potentials in rats with focal cerebral cortical ischemia induced by endothelin-1 (ET-1). Thirty rats were randomly assigned to the sham, infarct or CIMT groups. ET-1 was injected stereotaxically into the forelimb area of the cerebral cortex in the dominant hemisphere. Custom-made constraint jackets were applied to limit movement of the unaffected forelimb in the CIMT group. Motor and sensory function of the forelimb was evaluated by a pellet retrieval task and forearm asymmetry test. Electrophysiologic changes were evaluated by motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) and somatosensory-evoked potentials (SEPs). The location and extent of cerebral ischemia were confirmed and compared histologically. The CIMT group showed better recovery in the pellet retrieval task. Forelimb use was more symmetrical in the CIMT group. The waveform of the SEP was reversed and delayed in the infarct group, but it was preserved in the CIMT group with amplitude decrease only. The estimated volume of infarction was smaller in the CIMT group, although statistically not significant. The results demonstrate that CIMT can promote recovery of motor function in focal cerebral cortical infarcts, and that recovery may be related to reorganization of the cerebral neuronal network in the somatosensory pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyung W Joo
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Dankook University College of Medicine, Anseo-dong, Cheonan, Chungnam, 330-715, Korea
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17
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Hamadjida A, Wyss AF, Mir A, Schwab ME, Belhaj-Saif A, Rouiller EM. Influence of anti-Nogo-A antibody treatment on the reorganization of callosal connectivity of the premotor cortical areas following unilateral lesion of primary motor cortex (M1) in adult macaque monkeys. Exp Brain Res 2012; 223:321-40. [PMID: 22990293 PMCID: PMC3483106 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-012-3262-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2012] [Accepted: 09/04/2012] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Following unilateral lesion of the primary motor cortex, the reorganization of callosal projections from the intact hemisphere to the ipsilesional premotor cortex (PM) was investigated in 7 adult macaque monkeys, in absence of treatment (control; n = 4) or treated with function blocking antibodies against the neurite growth inhibitory protein Nogo-A (n = 3). After functional recovery, though incomplete, the tracer biotinylated dextran amine (BDA) was injected in the ipsilesional PM. Retrogradely labelled neurons were plotted in the intact hemisphere and their number was normalized with respect to the volume of the core of BDA injection sites. (1) The callosal projections to PM in the controls originate mainly from homotypic PM areas and, but to a somewhat lesser extent, from the mesial cortex (cingulate and supplementary motor areas). (2) In the lesioned anti-Nogo-A antibody-treated monkeys, the normalized number of callosal retrogradely labelled neurons was up to several folds higher than in controls, especially in the homotypic PM areas. (3) Except one control with a small lesion and a limited, transient deficit, the anti-Nogo-A antibody-treated monkeys recovered to nearly baseline levels of performance (73–90 %), in contrast to persistent deficits in the control monkeys. These results are consistent with a sprouting and/or sparing of callosal axons promoted by the anti-Nogo-A antibody treatment after lesion of the primary motor cortex, as compared to untreated monkeys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adjia Hamadjida
- Program in Neurosciences, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Sciences and Fribourg Centre for Cognition, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 5, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Alexander F. Wyss
- Program in Neurosciences, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Sciences and Fribourg Centre for Cognition, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 5, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Anis Mir
- Novartis Pharma, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Martin E. Schwab
- Brain Research Institute, University of Zürich and ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Abderaouf Belhaj-Saif
- Program in Neurosciences, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Sciences and Fribourg Centre for Cognition, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 5, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Eric M. Rouiller
- Program in Neurosciences, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Sciences and Fribourg Centre for Cognition, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 5, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
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18
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Kim MH, Lee SM, Koo HM. Ipsilateral and contralateral skilled reach training contributes to the motor function and brain recovery after left haemorrhagic stroke of rats. Brain Inj 2012; 26:1127-35. [DOI: 10.3109/02699052.2012.666372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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19
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O'Bryant AJ, Allred RP, Maldonado MA, Cormack LK, Jones TA. Breeder and batch-dependent variability in the acquisition and performance of a motor skill in adult Long-Evans rats. Behav Brain Res 2011; 224:112-20. [PMID: 21664381 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2011.05.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2010] [Revised: 05/24/2011] [Accepted: 05/25/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Reaching tasks are popular tools for investigating the neural mechanisms of motor skill learning and recovery from brain damage in rodents, but there is considerable unexplained variability across studies using these tasks. We investigated whether breeder, batch effects, experimenter, time of year, weight and other factors contribute to differences in the acquisition and performance of a skilled reaching task, the single pellet retrieval task, in adult male Long-Evans hooded rats. First, we retrospectively analyzed task acquisition and performance in rats from different breeding colonies that were used in several studies spanning a 3 year period in our laboratory. Second, we compared reaching variables in age-matched rats from different breeders that were trained together as a batch by the same experimenters. All rats had received daily training on the reaching task until they reached a criterion of successful reaches per attempt. We found significant breeder-dependent differences in learning rate and final performance level. This was found even when age-matched rats from different breeders were trained together by the same experimenters. There was also significant batch-to-batch variability within rats from the same breeder trained by the same experimenter. Other factors, including weight, paw preference and the experimenter, were not as strong or consistent in their contributions to differences across studies. The breeder and batch effects found within the same rat strain may reflect genetic and environmental influences on the neural substrates of motor skill learning. This is an important consideration when comparing baseline performance across studies and for controlling variability within studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amber J O'Bryant
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Texas at Austin, TX 78712, USA
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20
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21
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Kemp SWP, Alant J, Walsh SK, Webb AA, Midha R. Behavioural and anatomical analysis of selective tibial nerve branch transfer to the deep peroneal nerve in the rat. Eur J Neurosci 2010; 31:1074-90. [PMID: 20377620 DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2010.07130.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stephen W P Kemp
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 4N1, Canada.
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22
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Basiri M, Doucette R. Sensorimotor cortex aspiration: A model for studying Wallerian degeneration-induced glial reactivity along the entire length of a single CNS axonal pathway. Brain Res Bull 2010; 81:43-52. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2009.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2009] [Revised: 10/26/2009] [Accepted: 11/06/2009] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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23
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Metz GA, Whishaw IQ. The ladder rung walking task: a scoring system and its practical application. J Vis Exp 2009:1204. [PMID: 19525918 PMCID: PMC2796662 DOI: 10.3791/1204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 150] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Progress in the development of animal models for/stroke, spinal cord injury, and other neurodegenerative disease requires tests of high sensitivity to elaborate distinct aspects of motor function and to determine even subtle loss of movement capacity. To enhance efficacy and resolution of testing, tests should permit qualitative and quantitative measures of motor function and be sensitive to changes in performance during recovery periods. The present study describes a new task to assess skilled walking in the rat to measure both forelimb and hindlimb function at the same time. Animals are required to walk along a horizontal ladder on which the spacing of the rungs is variable and is periodically changed. Changes in rung spacing prevent animals from learning the absolute and relative location of the rungs and so minimize the ability of the animals to compensate for impairments through learning. In addition, changing the spacing between the rungs allows the test to be used repeatedly in long-term studies. Methods are described for both quantitative and qualitative description of both fore- and hindlimb performance, including limb placing, stepping, co-ordination. Furthermore, use of compensatory strategies is indicated by missteps or compensatory steps in response to another limb’s misplacement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerlinde A Metz
- Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge.
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24
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Papadopoulos CM, Tsai SY, Guillen V, Ortega J, Kartje GL, Wolf WA. Motor recovery and axonal plasticity with short-term amphetamine after stroke. Stroke 2009; 40:294-302. [PMID: 19038917 PMCID: PMC3806086 DOI: 10.1161/strokeaha.108.519769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2008] [Accepted: 05/08/2008] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE There is considerable debate regarding the efficacy of amphetamine to facilitate motor recovery after stroke or experimental brain injury. Different drug dosing and timing schedules and differing physical rehabilitation strategies may contribute to outcome variability. The present study was designed to ascertain (1) whether short-term amphetamine could induce long-term functional motor recovery in rats after an ischemic lesion modeling stroke in humans; (2) how different levels of physical rehabilitation interact with amphetamine to enhance forelimb-related functional outcome; and (3) whether motor improvement was associated with axonal sprouting from intact corticoefferent pathways originating in the contralesional forelimb motor cortex. METHODS After permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion, rats received vehicle or amphetamine during the first postoperative week (2 mg/kg, subcutaneously on Postoperative Days 2, 5, and 8). In both treatment groups, separate cohorts of rats were exposed to different levels of "physical rehabilitation" represented by a control environment, enriched environment, or enriched environment with additional sessions of focused activity. Skilled forelimb performance was assessed using the forelimb reaching task and ladder rung walk test. Anterograde tracing with biotinylated dextran amine was used to assess new fiber outgrowth to denervated motor areas. RESULTS All treatment groups showed significant motor improvement as compared with control-housed, vehicle-treated animals. However, animals housed in an enriched environment that received amphetamine paired with focused activity sessions performed significantly better than any other treatment group and was the only group to achieve complete motor recovery (ie, reached preoperative performance) by 8 weeks. This recovery was associated with axonal sprouting into deafferentated subcortical areas from contralesional projection neurons. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that, after stroke, short-term pairing of amphetamine with sufficiently focused activity is an effective means of inducing long-term improvement in forelimb motor function. The anatomic data suggests that corticoefferent plasticity in the form of axonal sprouting contributes to the maintenance of motor recovery.
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25
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Cheatwood JL, Emerick AJ, Schwab ME, Kartje GL. Nogo-A expression after focal ischemic stroke in the adult rat. Stroke 2008; 39:2091-8. [PMID: 18467652 DOI: 10.1161/strokeaha.107.507426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Nogo-A protein is an important inhibitor of axonal remodeling after central nervous system injuries, including ischemic stroke. Interfering with the function of Nogo-A via infusion of a therapeutic anti-Nogo-A antibody after stroke increases neuronal remodeling and enhances functional recovery in rats. In this study, we describe the regional distribution of cortical neurons expressing Nogo-A in normal rats and following middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). METHODS Normal and post-MCAO neuronal Nogo-A expression were described via immunohistochemical analyses. All brains were processed for Nogo-A and parvalbumin expression. The level of Nogo-A expression was scored for each cortical area or white matter structure of interest. The number and fluorescent intensity of layer V neurons in contralesional sensorimotor forelimb cortex were also assessed at each time point. RESULTS Nogo-A expression was observed in both cortical pyramidal neurons and parvalbumin-positive interneurons. Neuronal expression of Nogo-A changed over time in ipsilesional and contralesional cortical areas after MCAO, becoming globally elevated at 28 days after stroke. Nogo-A expression was not observed to fluctuate greatly in the white matter after stroke, with the exception of a transient increase in Nogo-A expression in the external capsule near the stroke lesion. CONCLUSIONS Neuronal Nogo-A expression is significantly increased at 28 days post-MCAO in all examined brain regions. Because of their robust expression of Nogo-A after stroke lesion, both excitatory and inhibitory neurons represent potential targets for anti-Nogo-A therapies in the poststroke cerebral cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph L Cheatwood
- Research Service (151), Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, 5000 S. 5th Ave, Hines, IL 60141, USA.
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26
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Cheatwood JL, Emerick AJ, Kartje GL. Neuronal plasticity and functional recovery after ischemic stroke. Top Stroke Rehabil 2008; 15:42-50. [PMID: 18250073 DOI: 10.1310/tsr1501-42] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Ischemic stroke affects many new patients each year. The sequelae of brain ischemia can include lasting sensorimotor and cognitive deficits, which negatively impact quality of life. Currently, treatment options for improving poststroke deficits are limited, and the development of new clinical alternatives to improve functional recovery after stroke is actively under investigation. Anti-Nogo-A immunotherapy to reduce the central nervous system inhibitory environment, cell transplantation strategies, pharmacological agents, and movement-based therapies represent emerging treatments of poststroke deficits through enhancement of neuroanatomical plasticity.
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Abstract
The subject of central nervous system damage includes a wide variety of problems, from the slow selective 'picking off' of characteristic sub-populations of neurons typical of neurodegenerative diseases, to the wholesale destruction of areas of brain and spinal cord seen in traumatic injury and stroke. Experimental repair strategies are diverse and the type of pathology dictates which approach will be appropriate. Damage may be to grey matter (loss of neurons), white matter (cutting of axons, leaving neurons otherwise intact, at least initially) or both. This review will consider four possible forms of treatment for repair of the human central nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Fitzgerald
- Cambridge University Centre for Brain Repair, Cambridge CB2 2PY, UK.
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28
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Gharbawie OA, Karl JM, Whishaw IQ. Recovery of skilled reaching following motor cortex stroke: do residual corticofugal fibers mediate compensatory recovery? Eur J Neurosci 2007; 26:3309-27. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2007.05874.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Friel KM, Drew T, Martin JH. Differential activity-dependent development of corticospinal control of movement and final limb position during visually guided locomotion. J Neurophysiol 2007; 97:3396-406. [PMID: 17376849 PMCID: PMC2740651 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00750.2006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Although we understand that activity- and use-dependent processes are important in determining corticospinal axon terminal development in the spinal cord, little is known about the role of these processes in development of skilled control of limb movements. In the present study we determined the effects of unilateral motor cortex activity blockade produced by muscimol infusion during the corticospinal axon terminal refinement period, between postnatal weeks 5-7, on visually guided locomotion. We examined stepping and forepaw placement on the rungs of a horizontal ladder and gait modifications as animals stepped over obstacles during treadmill walking. When cats traversed the horizontal ladder, the limb contralateral to inactivation was placed significantly farther forward on the rungs than the ipsilateral limb, indicating defective endpoint control. Similarly, when animals stepped over obstacles on a treadmill, the contralateral limb was placed farther in front of the obstacle, but only when it was the first (i.e., leading) limb to step over the obstacle, not when it was the second (i.e., trailing) limb. This is also indicative of an endpoint control deficit. In contrast, neither during ladder walking, nor when stepping over obstacles on the treadmill, was there any consistent evidence for a major impairment in limb trajectory. These results point to distinct and possibility independent corticospinal mechanisms for movement trajectory control and endpoint control. Although corticospinal activity during early postnatal development is needed to refine circuits for accurate endpoint control, this activity-dependent refinement is not needed for movement trajectory control.
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Affiliation(s)
- K. M. Friel
- Center for Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia University, New York
| | - T. Drew
- Department of Physiology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - J. H. Martin
- Center for Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia University, New York
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York
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30
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Gharbawie OA, Whishaw IQ. Parallel stages of learning and recovery of skilled reaching after motor cortex stroke: “Oppositions” organize normal and compensatory movements. Behav Brain Res 2006; 175:249-62. [PMID: 17049628 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2006.08.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2006] [Revised: 08/09/2006] [Accepted: 08/25/2006] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Forelimb/hand motor cortex injury in rodents and primates causes impairments in skilled paw/hand movements that includes a period of movement absence followed by functional recovery/compensation. Although the postsurgical period of movement absence has been attributed to "shock" or "diaschisis", the behavior of animals during this period has not been fully described. Here, rats were trained to reach for single food pellets from a shelf and then the vasculature of the forelimb region of the sensorimotor cortex contralateral to the reaching limb was removed. A control group received a posterior parietal cortex devasularization. Frame-by-frame video analysis of reaching behavior showed that the stages of the acquisition of skilled reaching and the stages of recovery after motor cortex stroke were similar. The animals sequentially learn three relationships or "oppositions" between a body part and the food target. The oppositions are invariant relationships but each can be achieved with movements that can vary from reach to reach and between rats. A snout-pellet opposition organizes the movements of orienting, a paw-pellet opposition organizes limb transport and grasping the pellet in the digits, and a mouth-pellet opposition organizes limb withdrawal and the release of the food into the mouth. The three oppositions and the movements that they recruit were disrupted after motor cortex damage, but not parietal cortex damage. The oppositions were reestablished after stroke in the order in which they were acquired prior to stroke. Enduring impairments were more noticeable in transport and withdrawal oppositions. That the stages of recovery from motor cortex stroke parallel those of initial acquisition are discussed in relation to contemporary explanations of diaschisis and the contribution of motor cortex to motor learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omar A Gharbawie
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Dr., Lethbridge, Alberta T1K 3M4, Canada.
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31
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Maier IC, Schwab ME. Sprouting, regeneration and circuit formation in the injured spinal cord: factors and activity. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2006; 361:1611-34. [PMID: 16939978 PMCID: PMC1664674 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2006.1890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Central nervous system (CNS) injuries are particularly traumatic, owing to the limited capabilities of the mammalian CNS for repair. Nevertheless, functional recovery is observed in patients and experimental animals, but the degree of recovery is variable. We review the crucial characteristics of mammalian spinal cord function, tract development, injury and the current experimental therapeutic approaches for repair. Regenerative or compensatory growth of neurites and the formation of new, functional circuits require spontaneous and experimental reactivation of developmental mechanisms, suppression of the growth-inhibitory properties of the adult CNS tissue and specific targeted activation of new connections by rehabilitative training.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irin C Maier
- Brain Research Institute, University and ETH Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
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Ramic M, Emerick AJ, Bollnow MR, O'Brien TE, Tsai SY, Kartje GL. Axonal plasticity is associated with motor recovery following amphetamine treatment combined with rehabilitation after brain injury in the adult rat. Brain Res 2006; 1111:176-86. [PMID: 16920088 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2006.06.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2006] [Revised: 06/13/2006] [Accepted: 06/14/2006] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Clinical and laboratory studies have suggested that amphetamine treatment when paired with rehabilitation results in improved recovery of function after stroke or traumatic brain injury. In the present study, we investigated whether new anatomical pathways developed in association with improved motor function after brain damage and amphetamine treatment linked with rehabilitation. Following a unilateral sensorimotor cortex lesion in the adult rat, amphetamine (2 mg/kg) was administered in conjunction with physiotherapy sessions on postoperative days two and five. Physiotherapy was continued twice daily for the first 3 weeks after injury, and then once daily until week six. Performance on skilled forelimb reaching and ladder rung walking was used to assess motor improvement. Our results show that animals with sensorimotor cortical lesions receiving amphetamine treatment linked with rehabilitation had significant improvement in both tasks. Neuroanatomical tracing of efferent pathways from the opposite, non-damaged cortex resulted in the novel finding that amphetamine treatment linked with rehabilitation, significantly increased axonal growth in the deafferented basilar pontine nuclei. These results support the notion that pharmacological interventions paired with rehabilitation can enhance neuronal plasticity and thereby improve functional recovery after CNS injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Ramic
- Neuroscience Program, Neurobiology and Anatomy Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 50153, USA
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Scott ALM, Ramer LM, Soril LJJ, Kwiecien JM, Ramer MS. Targeting myelin to optimize plasticity of spared spinal axons. Mol Neurobiol 2006; 33:91-111. [PMID: 16603791 DOI: 10.1385/mn:33:2:91] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2005] [Revised: 11/30/1999] [Accepted: 07/18/2005] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Functional re-innervation of target neurons following neurological damage such as spinal cord injury is an essential requirement of potential therapies. There are at least two avenues by which this can be achieved: (a) through the regeneration of injured axons and (b) through promoting plasticity of those spared by the initial insult. There are several reasons why the latter approach may be more feasible, not the least of which are the inhibitory character of the glial scar, the often long distances over which injured axons must regrow, and the fact that spared axons are often already in the vicinity of denervated targets. The challenge is to unveil the well-recognized intrinsic plasticity of spared axons in a way that avoids complications, such as pain or autonomic dysfunction. One approach that we as well as others have taken is to target growth-suppressing signaling pathways initiated in spared axons by myelin-derived proteins. This article reviews models used for the study of spinal axon plasticity and describes the anatomical and behavioral effects of interfering with myelinderived proteins, their receptors, and components of their intracellular signaling cascades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela L M Scott
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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Jadavji NM, Kolb B, Metz GA. Enriched environment improves motor function in intact and unilateral dopamine-depleted rats. Neuroscience 2006; 140:1127-38. [PMID: 16678972 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2006.03.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2005] [Revised: 03/07/2006] [Accepted: 03/12/2006] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies have suggested that experience and environmental conditions can affect the progression and severity of symptoms in Parkinson's disease. Furthermore, earlier reports have indicated that enriched environment promotes the survival of dopaminergic grafts in a rat model of Parkinson's disease. Here we investigated whether environmental enrichment affects normal motor function and the severity of dopamine depletion in a rat model of Parkinson's disease. Adult female Long-Evans rats were pre-trained and tested daily in a skilled reaching task. One group of rats was placed in an enriched environment while one group was housed under standard conditions. During this time period, reaching success of animals exposed to the enriched environment improved as compared with animals living in standard housing. The animals remained in the two housing conditions for six weeks prior to receiving unilateral infusion of the neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine into the nigrostriatal bundle. The daily behavioral testing continued up to four weeks after lesion. The observations showed that rats housed in an enriched environment significantly improved in reaching success during the first three weeks after lesion as compared with rats housed in the standard condition. Qualitative movement analysis, drug-induced rotation and histological findings indicate that compensatory processes in particular might have accounted for the behavioral improvements. These data are discussed in relation to possible mechanisms of experience-dependent modulation of the pathology of Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- N M Jadavji
- Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada T1K 3M4
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Papathanasiou ES, Peachey NS, Goto Y, Neafsey EJ, Castro AJ, Kartje GL. Visual cortical plasticity following unilateral sensorimotor cortical lesions in the neonatal rat. Exp Neurol 2006; 199:122-9. [PMID: 16690056 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2006.02.115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2006] [Revised: 02/20/2006] [Accepted: 02/21/2006] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Previous work has shown that unilateral sensorimotor cortex (SMC) lesions in newborn rats resulted in an apparent shift of the motor cortex map in the spared hemisphere, particularly of the hindlimb cortex. In view of such findings, the present study was initiated to determine if the visual cortex located both ipsilateral and contralateral to neonatal SMC, or contralateral to occipital cortical (OC) lesions, would show similar remodeling. Visual evoked potentials (VEPs) were used to map the visual cortex electrophysiologically. The results show an expansion of the visual cortex, in both the contralateral and ipsilateral hemisphere, into normally motor cortical areas in adult animals that had sustained unilateral neonatal unilateral SMC lesions. In contrast, similar changes were not seen within the spared visual cortex after unilateral occipital cortical lesions, suggesting that the shift in the visual map was specifically in response to the SMC lesion and was not a generalized response to neonatal cortical damage. Histological analysis showed a functional expansion in the rostral boundary of visual cortex with no corresponding cytoarchitectural alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleftherios S Papathanasiou
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, 6 International Airport Avenue, PO Box 23462, Nicosia, Cyprus.
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Markus TM, Tsai SY, Bollnow MR, Farrer RG, O'Brien TE, Kindler-Baumann DR, Rausch M, Rudin M, Wiessner C, Mir AK, Schwab ME, Kartje GL. Recovery and brain reorganization after stroke in adult and aged rats. Ann Neurol 2006; 58:950-3. [PMID: 16315284 DOI: 10.1002/ana.20676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Stroke is a prevalent and devastating disorder, and no treatment is currently available to restore lost neuronal function after stroke. One unique therapy that improves recovery after stroke is neutralization of the neurite inhibitory protein Nogo-A. Here, we show, in a clinically relevant model, improved functional recovery and brain reorganization in the aged and adult rat when delayed anti-Nogo-A therapy is given after ischemic injury. These results support the efficacy of Nogo-A neutralization as treatment for ischemic stroke, even in the aged animal and after a 1-week delay, and implicate neuronal plasticity from unlesioned areas of the central nervous system as a mechanism for recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffanie M Markus
- Neuroscience & Aging Institute, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA
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Gharbawie OA, Auer RN, Whishaw IQ. Subcortical middle cerebral artery ischemia abolishes the digit flexion and closing used for grasping in rat skilled reaching. Neuroscience 2006; 137:1107-18. [PMID: 16352401 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2005.10.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2005] [Revised: 10/18/2005] [Accepted: 10/20/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
That rats reach for and grasp a food item using a single paw has prompted their use in neurobiological studies of skilled movements and modeling neural injury including middle cerebral artery stroke. Although motor system lesions have been shown to disrupt various qualitative aspects of the transport of a limb to a food target and withdrawal of the limb with the food, no lesion has been found to abolish digit flexion for grasping. Here, rats received unilateral transient middle cerebral artery ischemia that was restricted mainly to subcortical tissue of the forebrain (caudate-putamen, globus pallidus, and associated fibers) or a sham operation. Both paws were later trained and evaluated on skilled reaching using a rating scale for digit use. Middle cerebral artery rats did not flex and close their digits to grasp food when using their contralateral-to-lesion limb. The grasp impairment was not due to a failure to learn the task as middle cerebral artery rats used the ipsilateral limb as successfully as control rats and they were reinforced for reaching by raking food into the reaching box using an open paw. The impairment was also not due to an inability to move the digits, as they were flexed and closed in other phases of the reach. The paradigm should prove useful for further studies of rehabilitation in relation to the idea that digit closure may be controlled by the joint action of a number of neural systems that converge in the basal ganglia.
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Affiliation(s)
- O A Gharbawie
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada T1K 3M4.
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Seymour AB, Andrews EM, Tsai SY, Markus TM, Bollnow MR, Brenneman MM, O'Brien TE, Castro AJ, Schwab ME, Kartje GL. Delayed treatment with monoclonal antibody IN-1 1 week after stroke results in recovery of function and corticorubral plasticity in adult rats. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2005; 25:1366-75. [PMID: 15889044 DOI: 10.1038/sj.jcbfm.9600134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Neuronal death due to ischemic stroke results in permanent deficits in sensory, language, and motor functions. The growth-restrictive environment of the adult central nervous system (CNS) is an obstacle to functional recovery after stroke and other CNS injuries. In this regard, Nogo-A is a potent neurite growth-inhibitory protein known to restrict neuronal plasticity in adults. Previously, we have found that treatment with monoclonal antibody (mAb) IN-1 to neutralize Nogo-A immediately after stroke enhanced motor cortico-efferent plasticity and recovery of skilled forelimb function in rats. However, immediate treatment for stroke is often not clinically feasible. Thus, the present study was undertaken to determine whether cortico-efferent plasticity and functional recovery would occur if treatment with mAb IN-1 was delayed 1 week after stroke. Adult rats were trained on a forelimb-reaching task, and the middle cerebral artery was occluded to induce focal cerebral ischemia to the forelimb sensorimotor cortex. After 1 week, animals received mAb IN-1 treatment, control antibody, or no treatment, and were tested for 9 more weeks. To assess cortico-efferent plasticity, the sensorimotor cortex opposite the stroke lesion was injected with an anterograde neuroanatomical tracer. Behavioral analysis demonstrated a recovery of skilled forelimb function, and anatomical studies revealed neuroplasticity at the level of the red nucleus in animals treated with mAb IN-1, thus demonstrating the efficacy of this treatment even if administered 1 week after stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew B Seymour
- Neurology and Research Service, Hines VA Hospital, Roosevelt Road and Fifth Avenue, Hines, Illinois, USA.
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Teng FYH, Tang BL. Why do Nogo/Nogo-66 receptor gene knockouts result in inferior regeneration compared to treatment with neutralizing agents? J Neurochem 2005; 94:865-74. [PMID: 16092935 DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2005.03238.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
IN-1, the monoclonal antibody against the exon 3-encoded N-terminal domain of Nogo-A, and the Nogo-66 receptor (NgR) antagonist NEP1-40 have both shown efficacy in promoting regeneration in animal spinal cord injury models, the latter even when administered subcutaneously 1 week after injury. These results are supportive of the hypothesis that the Nogo-NgR axis is a major path for inhibition of spinal cord axonal regeneration and uphold the promises of these neutralizing agents in clinical applications. However, mice with targeted disruption of Nogo and NgR have, surprisingly, only modest regenerative capacity (if any) compared with treatment with IN-1 or NEP1-40. Disruption of the Nogo gene by various groups yielded results ranging from significant regenerative improvement in young mice to no improvement. Likewise, knockout of NgR produced some improvement in raphespinal and rubrospinal axonal regeneration, but not that of corticospinal neurons. Other than invoking possible differences in genetic background, we suggest here some possible and testable explanations for the above phenomena. These possibilities include effects of IN-1 and NEP1-40 on the CNS beyond neutralization of Nogo and NgR functions, and the latter's possible role in the CNS beyond that of neuronal growth inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felicia Yu Hsuan Teng
- Department of Biochemistry and Programme in Neurobiology and Aging, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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Papadopoulos CM, Tsai SY, Cheatwood JL, Bollnow MR, Kolb BE, Schwab ME, Kartje GL. Dendritic plasticity in the adult rat following middle cerebral artery occlusion and Nogo-a neutralization. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2005; 16:529-36. [PMID: 16033928 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhi132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Our work has shown that following focal ischemic lesion in adult rats, neutralization of the axon growth inhibitor Nogo-A with the monoclonal antibody (mAb) IN-1 results in functional recovery. Furthermore, new axonal connections were formed from the contralesional cortex to subcortical areas corresponding to the observed functional recovery. The present study investigated whether dendritic changes, also known to subserve functional recovery, paralleled the axonal plasticity shown after ischemic lesion and treatment with mAb IN-1. Golgi-Cox-stained layer V pyramidal neurons in the contralesional sensorimotor cortex were examined for evidence of dendritic sprouting. Results demonstrated increased dendritic arborization and spine density in the mAb IN-1-treated animals with lesion. Interestingly, administration of mAb IN-1 without lesion resulted in transient dendritic outgrowth with no change in spine density. These results suggest a novel role for Nogo-A in limiting dendritic plasticity after stroke.
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