Locomotor mal-performance and gait adaptability deficits in sickle cell mice are associated with vascular and white matter abnormalities and oxidative stress in cerebellum.

ABSTRACT: Patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) can develop strokes and as a result, present neurologic and neurocognitive deficits. However, recent studies show that even without detectable cerebral parenchymal abnormalities on imaging studies, SCD patients can have significant cognitive and motor dysfunction, which can present as early as during infancy. As the cerebellum plays a pivotal role in motor and non-motor functions including sensorimotor processing and learning, we examined cerebellar behavior in humanized SCD mice using the Erasmus ladder. Homozygous (sickling) mice had significant locomotor malperformance characterized by miscoordination and impaired locomotor gait/stepping pattern adaptability. Conversely, Townes homozygous mice had no overall deficits in motor learning, as they wer

SUBMITTER: Almeida LEF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7483603 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature