Article type: Research Article
Authors: Onifer, Stephen M.; | Zhang, Oliver | Whitnel-Smith, Laura K. | Raza, Kashif | O'Dell, Christopher R. | Lyttle, Travis S. | Rabchevsky, Alexander G.; | Kitzman, Patrick H.; | Burke, Darlene A.
Affiliations: Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA | Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA | Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA | Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA | Kentucky Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
Note: [] Corresponding author: Stephen M. Onifer, Ph.D, Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, B457 Biomedical and Biological Sciences Research Building, 741 South Limestone Street, Lexington, KY 40536 0509, USA. Tel.: (859) 323 5226; Fax: (859) 257 5737; E-mail: smonif2@email.uky.edu
Abstract: Purpose: Using the horizontal ladder task, we examined some issues that need to be resolved before task-specific rehabilitative training can be employed clinically for the frequent contusive spinal cord injury (SCI). We hypothesized that improving recovery in task performance after contusive thoracic SCI requires frequent re-training and initiating the re-training early during spontaneous recovery. Methods: Contusive SCI was produced at the adult female Sprague Dawley rat T10 vertebra. Task re-training was initiated one week later when occasional weight-supported plantar steps were taken overground (n = 8). It consisted of 2 repetitions each day, 5 days each week, for 3 weeks. Task performance and overground locomotion were assessed weekly. Neurotransmission through the SCI ventrolateral funiculus was examined. SCI morphometry was determined. Results: Re-training did not improve task performance recovery compared to untrained Controls (n = 7). Untrained overground locomotion and neurotransmission through the SCI did not change. Lesion area at the injury epicenter as a percentage of the total spinal cord area as well as total tissue, lesion, and spared tissue, white matter, or gray matter volumes did not differ. Conclusions: For the horizontal ladder task after contusive thoracic SCI, earlier re-training sessions with more repetitions and critical neural circuitry may be necessary to engender a rehabilitation effect.
Keywords: Spinal cord injury, rehabilitation, re-training, horizontal ladder, locomotion, transcranial magnetic motor evoked potentials
DOI: 10.3233/RNN-2011-598
Journal: Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience, vol. 29, no. 4, pp. 275-286, 2011
