Therapeutic strategy after spinal cord contusion: functional recovery and sensory-motor cortical stability

• Grant number: 08/07574-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: August 01, 2010
• End date: August 31, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Edgard Morya
• Grantee: Taisa Amoroso Bortolato Miranda
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FM). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) results in a devastating condition, that leads to motor and sensory deficits, which impair the functional performance of the injured person. SCI experimental models are used in the investigation of the sensory-motor functioning and of the reorganization or plasticity promoted by trainings. On this way, these studies can corroborate with actual and future clinical applications. This work aims to verify the spinal and cortical reorganization dynamics of the sensory-motor system in Wistar rats with spinal cord injury submitted to motor. 21 rats will be divided randomly into 3 groups: motor trained,control and sham. All animals will receive a 32 microelectrodes array in the motor cortex area corresponding to the hindlimbs and when they achieve a complete recovery, basal motor behavioral assessment (BBB Scale and Grid Walk Test), basal mechanical and thermal pain assessment (von Frey Hair and Hargreaves) and basal electrophysiological assessment will be accomplished. Then, trained and control animals will be submitted to contusive SCI and sham will be submitted to the surgical procedure without SCI. All animals will be assessed in the 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49 and 56 days after SCI. The motor training will be accomplished in a treadmill with controlled velocity. The other two groups will not receive training. Data will be analyzed with multivariance analysis to investigate the significance among neural activity, control/motor rehabilitation and training. Therefore, cortical and spinal sensory-motor changes due to the lesion will be investigated, supporting future clinical applications in patients. (AU)