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Thoracic Spinal Cord Hemisection Surgery and Open-Field Locomotor Assessment in the Rat
Published on: June 26, 2019
Cough following low thoracic hemisection in the cat
Stephanie C Jefferson1, Nicole J Tester, Melanie Rose
1Brain Rehabilitation and Research Center, Malcom Randall VA Medical Center, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA.
Experimental Neurology
|January 2, 2010
Summary
Following spinal cord injury, cough production by abdominal expiratory muscles remains functional. Locomotor training in cats with thoracic spinal cord injury preserved cough magnitude, demonstrating resilience of this respiratory defense mechanism.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Respiratory Physiology
- Rehabilitation Science
Background:
- Coughing, a vital respiratory defense mechanism, relies on abdominal expiratory muscles.
- Spinal cord injury (SCI) frequently impairs cough function, increasing risks of respiratory complications.
- Understanding the recovery of cough post-SCI is crucial for developing effective rehabilitation strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of a T9/10 spinal cord hemisection on cough production in cats.
- To assess the efficacy of extensive locomotor training in preserving cough function after incomplete thoracic SCI.
- To determine the time course of functional recovery in the cough motor system post-injury.
Main Methods:
- Cats underwent a lateral T9/10 spinal cord hemisection.
- Cough production was assessed at 4, 13, and 21 weeks post-injury.
- Measurements included esophageal pressure and rectus abdominis electromyogram (EMG) activity during cough.
- Locomotor training was administered extensively throughout the post-injury period.
Main Results:
- Esophageal pressure and rectus abdominis EMG magnitudes during cough were not significantly different from pre-injury levels at any time point.
- The cough motor system demonstrated significant function as early as 4 weeks post-injury.
- These findings indicate functional preservation of cough despite significant disruption of descending neural pathways.
Conclusions:
- Incomplete thoracic spinal cord injury, even with significant descending pathway interruption, does not abolish cough function.
- The cough motor system exhibits remarkable resilience and functional recovery following this type of injury.
- Locomotor training may contribute to the preservation of cough function, highlighting its importance in respiratory rehabilitation after SCI.
