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Updated: Feb 13, 2026
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Comprehensive Understanding of Inactivity-Induced Gait Alteration in Rodents
Published on: July 6, 2022
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COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF MURINE GAIT DURING SKELETAL MATURATION
Cameron X Villarreal1, Amanda Thayer2, Jeremy A Hampton1
1Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN.
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|February 12, 2026
Summary
Gait parameters in mice mature rapidly between 6-16 weeks, with many stabilizing by 8-10 weeks. Age and sex significantly influence these gait patterns, crucial for preclinical study design.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience and Musculoskeletal Research
- Preclinical Animal Models
Background:
- Gait analysis in mice is vital for assessing locomotor development and disease.
- A comprehensive understanding of gait maturation during preclinical study ages (6-16 weeks) is lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To longitudinally characterize gait maturation in mice from 6 to 16 weeks of age.
- To identify age- and sex-based differences in gait parameters during this critical developmental window.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal gait analysis of healthy C57BL/6J mice (6-16 weeks).
- Quantification of over 30 gait parameters weekly, organized into functional groups.
- Application of univariate and multivariate statistical analyses.
Main Results:
- Many gait parameters showed a ramp-to-plateau trajectory, stabilizing between 8-10 weeks.
- Significant age- and sex-based differences were observed across functional gait parameter groupings.
- Multivariate analysis revealed age and sex effects on principal components aligned with functional gait groups.
Conclusions:
- Gait parameter maturation varies, with functional groups plateauing at different developmental stages.
- Sex significantly influences gait maturation patterns.
- These findings are essential for optimizing murine gait study design and data interpretation.
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