scholarly journals The recovery of standing and locomotion after spinal cord injury does not require task-specific training

eLife ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Harnie ◽  
Adam Doelman ◽  
Emmanuelle de Vette ◽  
Johannie Audet ◽  
Etienne Desrochers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Specific Activity ◽  
Weight Bearing ◽  
Triceps Surae ◽  
Full Weight Bearing ◽  
Specific Training ◽  
Spinal Transection ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Complete Spinal Cord Injury

After complete spinal cord injury, mammals, including mice, rats and cats, recover hindlimb locomotion with treadmill training. The premise is that sensory cues consistent with locomotion reorganize spinal sensorimotor circuits. Here, we show that hindlimb standing and locomotion recover after spinal transection in cats without task-specific training. Spinal-transected cats recovered full weight bearing standing and locomotion after five weeks of rhythmic manual stimulation of triceps surae muscles (non-specific training) and without any intervention. Moreover, cats modulated locomotor speed and performed split-belt locomotion six weeks after spinal transection, functions that were not trained or tested in the weeks prior. This indicates that spinal networks controlling standing and locomotion and their interactions with sensory feedback from the limbs remain largely intact after complete spinal cord injury. We conclude that standing and locomotor recovery is due to the return of neuronal excitability within spinal sensorimotor circuits that do not require task-specific activity-dependent plasticity.

Drastic Decrease in Isoflurane Minimum Alveolar Concentration and Limb Movement Forces after Thoracic Spinal Cooling and Chronic Spinal Transection in Rats

2005 ◽  
Vol 102 (3) ◽  
pp. 624-632 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven L. Jinks ◽  
Carmen L. Dominguez ◽  
Joseph F. Antognini
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Minimum Alveolar Concentration ◽  
Tail Flick ◽  
Noxious Stimulation ◽  
Partial Recovery ◽  
Spinal Transection ◽  
Thoracic Spinal ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Stimulation Of

Background Individuals with spinal cord injury may undergo multiple surgical procedures; however, it is not clear how spinal cord injury affects anesthetic requirements and movement force under anesthesia during both acute and chronic stages of the injury. Methods The authors determined the isoflurane minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) necessary to block movement in response to supramaximal noxious stimulation, as well as tail-flick and hind paw withdrawal latencies, before and up to 28 days after thoracic spinal transection. Tail-flick and hind paw withdrawal latencies were measured in the awake state to test for the presence of spinal shock or hyperreflexia. The authors measured limb forces elicited by noxious mechanical stimulation of a paw or the tail at 28 days after transection. Limb force experiments were also conducted in other animals that received a reversible spinal conduction block by cooling the spinal cord at the level of the eighth thoracic vertebra. Results A large decrease in MAC (to </= 40% of pretransection values) occurred after spinal transection, with partial recovery (to approximately 60% of control) at 14-28 days after transection. Awake tail-flick and hind paw withdrawal latencies were facilitated or unchanged, whereas reflex latencies under isoflurane were depressed or absent. However, at 80-90% of MAC, noxious stimulation of the hind paw elicited ipsilateral limb withdrawals in all animals. Hind limb forces were reduced (by >/= 90%) in both chronic and acute cold-block spinal animals. Conclusions The immobilizing potency of isoflurane increases substantially after spinal transection, despite the absence of a baseline motor depression, or "spinal shock." Therefore, isoflurane MAC is determined by a spinal depressant action, possibly counteracted by a supraspinal facilitatory action. The partial recovery in MAC at later time points suggests that neuronal plasticity after spinal cord injury influences anesthetic requirements.

Subacute posttraumatic ascending myelopathy in a 15-year-old boy

2014 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 454-457 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy J. Kovanda ◽  
Eric M. Horn
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Rare Event ◽  
Fracture Dislocation ◽  
Secondary Injury ◽  
Spinal Cord Trauma ◽  
Rare Occurrence ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Complete Spinal Cord Injury

Secondary injury following initial spinal cord trauma is uncommon and frequently attributed to mismanagement of an unprotected cord in the acute time period after injury. Subacute posttraumatic ascending myelopathy (SPAM) is a rare occurrence in the days to weeks following an initial spinal cord injury that is unrelated to manipulation of an unprotected cord and involves 4 or more vertebral levels above the original injury. The authors present a case of SPAM occurring in a 15-year-old boy who sustained a T3–4 fracture-dislocation resulting in a complete spinal cord injury, and they highlight the imaging findings and optimum treatment for this rare event.

scholarly journals Treatment of chronic acromioclavicular joint dislocation in a paraplegic patient with the Weaver-Dunn procedure and a hook-plate

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Holger Godry ◽  
Mustafa Citak ◽  
Matthias Königshausen ◽  
Thomas A. Schildhauer ◽  
Dominik Seybold
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Weight Bearing ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Hook Plate ◽  
Acromioclavicular Joint Dislocation ◽  
Ac Joint ◽  
Joint Dislocation ◽  
Ac Joint Dislocation ◽  
Cord Injury

Abstract In case of patients with spinal cord injury and concomitant acromioclavicular (AC) jointdislocation the treatment is challenging, as in this special patient group the function of the shoulder joint is critical because patients depend on the upper limb for mobilization and wheelchair-locomotion. Therefore the goal of this study was to examine, if the treatment of chronic AC-joint dislocation using the Weaver- Dunn procedure augmented with a hook-plate in patients with a spinal cord injury makes early postoperative wheelchair mobilization and the wheelchair transfer with full weightbearing possible. In this case the Weaver- Dunn procedure with an additive hook-plate was performed in a 34-year-old male patient with a complete paraplegia and a posttraumatic chronic AC-joint dislocation. The patient was allowed to perform his wheelchair transfers with full weight bearing on the first postoperative day. The removal of the hook-plate was performed four months after implantation. At the time of follow-up the patient could use his operated shoulder with full range of motion without restrictions in his activities of daily living or his wheel-chair transfers.

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