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Related Experiment Videos

A method for assessing balance control in rodents.

Stefani J Mulligan1, Elizabeth Knapp, Brian Thompson

  • 1Center for Biomedical Engineering, Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0070, USA.

Biomedical Sciences Instrumentation
|June 28, 2002
PubMed
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Locomotor training improved balance control in rodents with spinal cord injury. This study developed a method to assess balance, showing trained rats had better control than untrained injured rats.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Motor Control
  • Rehabilitation Science

Background:

  • Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes nervous system reorganization, but its impact on motor skills remains unclear.
  • Neural plasticity following SCI affects motor function, necessitating methods to evaluate recovery.
  • Understanding balance control is crucial for assessing functional recovery after SCI.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present a novel kinetic and kinematic analysis method for investigating balance control in a rodent model of incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI).
  • To assess the effect of extensive treadmill locomotor training on balance control in iSCI rodents.
  • To establish a simple method for evaluating balance control in longitudinal studies of SCI recovery.

Main Methods:

  • Developed a setup where rodents sit unconstrained on hindlimbs on a force-transducer-equipped platform.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Measured shear forces and used reflective markers to track body sway (hip and tail).
  • Assessed the impact of 12-week treadmill locomotor training on balance in iSCI rats compared to sham and untrained iSCI rats.

    • Main Results:

    • The injured, untrained rat exhibited significantly larger shear forces and sway compared to sham and trained iSCI rats.
    • Stance width, assessed separately, was also greater in the injured untrained rat.
    • These findings indicate that locomotor training enhances balance control post-injury.

    Conclusions:

    • The developed kinetic and kinematic method effectively assesses balance control in rodents with iSCI.
    • Locomotor training demonstrates potential for improving balance control after spinal cord injury.
    • This method can be valuable for longitudinal studies evaluating therapies for SCI repair and recovery.