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Updated: Sep 26, 2025
Author Spotlight: Insight Into Innovations in Spinal Cord Injury Research
Published on: January 19, 2024
Evaluation of the Cardiometabolic Disorders after Spinal Cord Injury in Mice
Adel B Ghnenis1, Calvin Jones1, Arthur Sefiani1
1Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA.
Abstract:
Changes in cardiometabolic functions contribute to increased morbidity and mortality after chronic spinal cord injury. Despite many advancements in discovering SCI-induced pathologies, the cardiometabolic risks and divergences in severity-related responses have yet to be elucidated. Here, we examined the effects of SCI severity on functional recovery and cardiometabolic functions following moderate (50 kdyn) and severe (75 kdyn) contusions in the thoracic-8 (T8) vertebrae in mice using imaging, morphometric, and molecular analyses. Both severities reduced hindlimbs motor functions, body weight (g), and total body fat (%) at all-time points up to 20 weeks post-injury (PI), while only severe SCI reduced the total body lean (%). Severe SCI increased liver echogenicity starting from 12 weeks PI, with an increase in liver fibrosis in both moderate and severe SCI. Severe SCI mice showed a significant reduction in left ventricular internal diameters and LV volume at 20 weeks PI, associated with increased LV ejection fraction as well as cardiac fibrosis. These cardiometabolic dysfunctions were accompanied by changes in the inflammation profile, varying with the severity of the injury, but not in the lipid profile nor cardiac or hepatic tyrosine hydroxylase innervation changes, suggesting that systemic inflammation may be involved in these SCI-induced health complications.
Insights
Spinal cord injury (SCI) severity impacts cardiometabolic health. Severe SCI exacerbates motor deficits, body composition changes, liver fibrosis, and cardiac dysfunction, suggesting systemic inflammation plays a key role.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cardiology
- Metabolic Health
Background:
- Chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) is linked to increased morbidity and mortality due to cardiometabolic dysfunction.
- Understanding SCI-induced pathologies and severity-dependent responses is crucial for effective management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of SCI severity on functional recovery and cardiometabolic outcomes.
- To elucidate the differential effects of moderate versus severe SCI on physiological parameters.
Main Methods:
- Utilized moderate (50 kdyn) and severe (75 kdyn) thoracic-8 contusion SCI models in mice.
- Employed imaging, morphometric, and molecular analyses up to 20 weeks post-injury (PI).
Main Results:
- Both SCI severities impaired hindlimb motor function, body weight, and body fat.
- Severe SCI led to reduced lean mass, increased liver echogenicity and fibrosis, and cardiac fibrosis.
- Severe SCI also reduced left ventricular dimensions and volume, with increased ejection fraction and cardiac fibrosis.
Conclusions:
- SCI severity significantly influences functional recovery and cardiometabolic complications.
- Systemic inflammation appears to be a key factor in SCI-induced health issues, independent of lipid profiles or specific neural innervation changes.
