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Published on: November 10, 2008
Repeated mild spinal cord contusions exacerbate tauopathy development in PS19 mice
Nicolas Halloin1, Nicolas Debortoli2, Lidia Lopez-Gutiérrez3
1URPhyM, NARILIS, University of Namur, Rue de Bruxelles 61, 5000, Namur, Belgium.
Acta Neuropathologica Communications
|July 11, 2026
Summary
Repeated mild spinal cord injuries (rmSCI) worsen age-related motor deficits and tau pathology in mice. These injuries may accelerate tauopathy progression, highlighting the need for spinal injury prevention.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neuropathology
- Trauma Research
Background:
- Traumatic brain injury is linked to age-related tauopathies.
- The impact of repeated mild spinal cord injuries (rmSCI) on tau pathology is under-explored.
- Mild spinal injuries can mimic occupational or sports-related trauma.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the consequences of rmSCI on motor function and tauopathy in a mouse model.
- To assess how rmSCI affects age-dependent tau pathology progression.
- To explore the molecular mechanisms underlying rmSCI-induced tau exacerbation.
Main Methods:
- Developed a mouse model with two successive mild cervical contusions.
- Induced rmSCI in PS19 mice (hTau P301S) exhibiting late-onset tauopathy.
- Assessed motor outcomes, tau hyperphosphorylation (pSer422, pSer202/Thr205), tau seeding activity, and molecular responses (MAPK, glial activation, interferon genes).
Main Results:
- rmSCI exacerbated age-dependent motor deficits and increased tau hyperphosphorylation.
- Pathological changes spread from the injury site to the thalamus.
- Spinal cord extracts showed enhanced tau seeding activity in vitro.
- Early responses included p38 MAPK activation, glial activation, and interferon-stimulated gene upregulation.
Conclusions:
- rmSCI is an underappreciated modifier of tau pathology and disease progression.
- This study provides an experimental link between mild CNS injuries and tauopathy exacerbation.
- Type I interferon signaling or sustained glial activation may be involved in rmSCI-induced tauopathy.
