Chronic muscle recordings reveal recovery of forelimb function in spinal injured female rats after cortical epidural stimulation combined with rehabilitation and chondroitinase ABC.

ABSTRACT: Cervical level spinal cord injury (SCI) can severely impact upper limb muscle function, which is typically assessed in the clinic using electromyography (EMG). Here, we established novel preclinical methodology for EMG assessments of muscle function after SCI in awake freely moving animals. Adult female rats were implanted with EMG recording electrodes in bicep muscles and received bilateral cervical (C7) contusion injuries. Forelimb muscle activity was assessed by recording maximum voluntary contractions during a grip strength task and cortical motor evoked potentials in the biceps. We demonstrate that longitudinal recordings of muscle activity in the same animal are feasible over a chronic post-injury time course and provide a sensitive method for revealing post-injury changes in muscle

SUBMITTER: Sinopoulou E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9544922 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature