Spinal cord injury models should be highly reproducible. We demonstrate that the calibrated forceps compression model of spinal cord injury is an easy to use surgical method for generating reproducible injuries to the murine spinal...

This article describes a method for generating a reproducible spinal cord compression injury (SCI) in the neonatal mouse. The model provides an advantageous platform for studying mechanisms of adaptive plasticity that underlie spontaneous functional recovery.

Source: Zheng, W. et. al., Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Chronic Spinal Cord Compression. J. Vis. Exp. (2019)This video demonstrates diffusion tensor imaging in assessing chronic spinal cord compression. By analyzing water diffusion patterns, fractional anisotropy, and apparent diffusion coefficient values, the findings reveal axonal damage in compressed regions. The findings provide critical insights into spinal cord pathology and structural...

Here, we present a protocol for the application of diffusion tensor imaging parameters to evaluate spinal cord...

We describe two tactile sensory testing methods for acute or chronic periods of spinal cord injury in rats. These validated procedures can detect the development and maintenance of allodynia-like...

Source: Elzat, E. Y. Y., et al., Establishing a Mouse Contusion Spinal Cord Injury Model Based on a Minimally Invasive Technique. J. Vis. Exp. (2022).This video demonstrates the method for inducing a contusion injury at the T9 level spinal cord in a mouse model, using a spinal cord injury coaxial platform. A weight is dropped on the T9 level spinal cord that creates a contusion that immediately causes tissue discoloration and...