An Automated Test of Rat Forelimb Supination Quantifies Motor Function Loss and Recovery After Corticospinal Injury.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Rodents are the primary animal model of corticospinal injury and repair, yet current behavioral tests do not show the large deficits after injury observed in humans. Forearm supination is critical for hand function and is highly impaired by corticospinal injury in both humans and rats. Current tests of rodent forelimb function do not measure this movement.

Objective

To determine if quantification of forelimb supination in rats reveals large-scale functional loss and partial recovery after corticospinal injury.

Methods

We developed a knob supination device that quantifies supination using automated and objective methods. Rats in a reaching box have to grasp and turn a knob in supination in order to receive a food reward. Performance on this task and the sing

SUBMITTER: Sindhurakar A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5243185 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature