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Updated: Aug 13, 2026
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The Mouse Stroke Unit Protocol with Standardized Neurological Scoring for Translational Mouse Stroke Studies
Published on: February 7, 2025
EXPRESS: Stroke Is Associated with Temporally Ordered Neuromotor Dysfunction from Cortex to Muscle in a Translational
Arsh Ketabforoush1,2,3, Meifang Wang1,2, Vaibhav Oberoi1,2
1NextGen Precision Health, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.
Summary
Stroke causes widespread neuromotor deficits affecting the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. This study used electrophysiology to track these changes over time in mice, revealing a sequential pattern of dysfunction.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neurology
- Translational Medicine
Background:
- Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability.
- The impact of cortical stroke on spinal and peripheral systems is not fully understood.
- Translational models are needed to evaluate post-stroke neuromotor dysfunction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To longitudinally characterize post-stroke neuromotor dysfunction.
- To assess changes across cortical, spinal, and peripheral levels.
- To utilize clinically relevant electrophysiological biomarkers in a mouse model.
Main Methods:
- Adult male mice underwent transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) or sham surgery.
- Electrophysiological assessments included motor-evoked potentials (MEPs), H-reflexes, compound muscle action potentials (CMAP), and motor unit number estimation (MUNE).
- Assessments were conducted at 7 and 21 days post-stroke.
Main Results:
- Stroke reduced infarct-side cortical output (MEP amplitudes) at day 7, with increased contralateral cortical excitability.
- Spinal excitability increased persistently and correlated with infarct size.
- Motor unit number estimation (MUNE) declined at day 7, followed by reduced compound muscle action potentials (CMAP) at day 21.
Conclusions:
- Stroke induces temporally ordered neuromotor abnormalities across multiple nervous system levels.
- The findings support an electrophysiological framework for testing stroke recovery strategies.
- This study provides a translational approach to understanding post-stroke sequelae.
