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Sex and Strain-Specific Variations in Motor Recovery Following Compression Spinal Cord Injury: Comparison of
Negin Mojarad1,2, David Doyle1,2,3, Lucas Gorial Garmo1,2,3
1Field Neurosciences Institute Laboratory for Restorative Neurology, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859, USA.
Brain Sciences
|February 26, 2025
Summary
Sprague-Dawley rats, particularly females, show better hindlimb recovery after moderate spinal cord injury (SCI). These findings are crucial for selecting appropriate rat models in SCI translational research.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Regenerative Medicine
- Animal Models
Background:
- Spinal cord injury (SCI) research shows varied motor recovery across rat strains.
- Systematic comparisons of locomotor recovery across SCI severity, sex, and strain are lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify hindlimb utilization in male and female Sprague-Dawley (SD) and Wistar rats after moderate and severe SCI.
- To compare locomotor recovery using multiple assessment tools.
Main Methods:
- Compression SCI was induced in male and female SD and Wistar rats.
- Locomotor performance was assessed weekly for seven weeks using BBB, CatWalk, and horizontal ladder tests.
Main Results:
- SD rats demonstrated greater spontaneous recovery, with females outperforming males after moderate and severe SCI.
- CatWalk analysis revealed strain and sex-specific differences in hindlimb swing speed and print area.
- No significant differences were found in horizontal ladder tests across groups.
Conclusions:
- SD rats, especially females, exhibit superior spontaneous motor recovery following moderate SCI.
- Rat strain and sex are critical factors to consider in SCI therapeutic testing.
- Findings will aid in selecting appropriate rat models for SCI translational research and future clinical trials.
