Serotonergic Facilitation of Forelimb Functional Recovery in Rats with Cervical Spinal Cord Injury.

ABSTRACT: Serotonergic agents can improve the recovery of motor ability after a spinal cord injury. Herein, we compare the effects of buspirone, a 5-HT_1A receptor partial agonist, to fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, on forelimb motor function recovery after a C4 bilateral dorsal funiculi crush in adult female rats. After injury, single pellet reaching performance and forelimb muscle activity decreased in all rats. From 1 to 6 weeks after injury, rats were tested on these tasks with and without buspirone (1-2 mg/kg) or fluoxetine (1-5 mg/kg). Reaching and grasping success rates of buspirone-treated rats improved rapidly within 2 weeks after injury and plateaued over the next 4 weeks of testing. Electromyography (EMG) from selected muscles in the dominant forelimb showe

SUBMITTER: Jin B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8423890 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature