Postnatal locomotion development in a neurological mutant of rolling mouse Nagoya

Postural control skills and quadrupedal locomotor pattern in infant rolling mice, a neurological mutant, were observed in the following situations: hindlimb support when suspended, rope descent, narrow path traverse, quadrupedal locomotion on an inclined corridor, and swimming behavior when entirely submerged. Until the second week of age, rolling mice developed primitive responses similar to, or somewhat slower than, their unaffected littermates, but failed to show mature adaptive and coordinated movements from Days 16-18 onward in hinblimb support and rope descent tests. The gait was broadbased and they frequently lurched, rolled over on the side in the narrow-path and incline situations. Also, swimming behavior was extremely clumsy with varying degrees of disturbed rhythm and inconsistent movement of hindlimb paddling. These findings might result from an immature development of hindlimb muscle tonus control system and distortion of smooth and orderly sequence of hindlimb muscular contractions which characterize skillful quadrupedal locomotion.