Effects of training on stepping and standing performance following severe spinal cord contusion and radiation therapy in rats Meeting Abstract

  


Authors: Kalderon, N.; Ichiyama, R. M.; Edgerton, V. R.
Abstract Title: Effects of training on stepping and standing performance following severe spinal cord contusion and radiation therapy in rats
Meeting Title: 33rd Annual Meeting of the Society of Neuroscience
Abstract: Cell elimination by radiation therapy of the lesion site of the rat transected spinal cord (SC) within a critical time window, 2-3 wks postinjury (PI), can facilitate structural and functional repair (PNAS (1996)93:11179; BrainRes (2001)904:199). Radiation therapy following a surgical manipulation (midline incision) of the lesion site can facilitate repair in contusion-injured rat SC (ibid. (2002)No.133.9), a model similar to SC injury in humans. Here, we examined the effects of hindlimb locomotor training on the recovery of standing and locomotion in contused rats that were either radiation-treated or untreated. A severe thoracic contusion was performed in 32 adult rats with an NYU weight-drop device followed 2h later by a midline incision. These were divided into 2 groups: untreated (control) and radiation-treated (20Gy/10 fractions, starting on day 12PI), and each subdivided into 2 groups, trained (starting 1mo PI) and untrained. A daily 20 min training of a combination of bipedal hindlimb locomotor and static weight support (WS) was given for 8 wks. At the end, all rats were tested using a robotic device (BrainResRev (2002)40:267) and limb kinematics of stepping and standing were video recorded. Preliminary analyses suggest that training in the contused rats significantly (p=0.02) improved the weight-bearing stepping capacity (10/16 vs. 6/16). There was a trend suggesting a better motor function in the trained-irradiated rats, eg, step-No./30sec was greater (10 vs. 3.5, p<0.05) and WS in standing was better (54% vs. 43% body WS) than in the untrained control. Although these preliminary data indicate that training following repair induced by radiation therapy in injured SC may lead to a better motor recovery, a comprehensive quantitative analysis of repair and locomotion data is required for a conclusive determination.
Keywords: radiation; training; standing; performance; stepping
Journal Title: Society for Neuroscience Abstract Viewer and Itinerary Planner
Volume: 2003
Meeting Dates: 2003 Nov 8-12
Meeting Location: New Orleans, LA
ISSN: 1558-3635
Publisher: Society for Neuroscience  
Date Published: 2003-01-01
Language: English
ACCESSION: BCI:BCI200400204696
PROVIDER: biosis
Notes: Meeting Abstract: 744.13 -- 33rd Annual Meeting of the Society of Neuroscience -- New Orleans, LA, USA -- November 08-12, 2003 -- Society of Neuroscience -- Source: Biosis