Quantitative assessment of deficits and recovery of forelimb motor function after cervical spinal cord injury in mice.

摘要: A large proportion of spinal cord injuries (SCIs) in humans are at the cervical (C) level, but there few tests to quantitatively assess forelimb motor function after injury rodents. Here, we describe a simple and reliable technique for assessing grip strength over time. Female C57Bl/6 mice were trained on Grip Strength Meter (GSM, TSE-Systems), then received lateral hemisection level C5, C6, C7, or T1. Gripping ability by each forepaw was tested 4 weeks postinjury. Before injury, no significant difference force exerted either forepaw. After hemisections ipsilateral initially completely unable (day 2 postinjury), slight transient decrease contralateral paw compared presurgical levels. The exhibited until about 10-14 days postlesion, which time reappeared recovered period that 50% preinjury minimally transiently affected analysis provides convenient, quantitative measure loss recovery injury.