Effect of Electrical Stimulation and Vibration Therapy on Skeletal Muscle Trophism in Rats with Complete Spinal Cord Injury

Author(s)

Butezloff, Mariana M. ^[1] ; Zamarioli, Ariane ^[1] ; Maranho, Daniel A. ^[1] ; Shimano, Antonio C. ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Med Ribeirao Preto, Dept Biomech Med & Rehabil, BR-14049900 Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE & REHABILITATION; v. 94, n. 11, p. 950-957, NOV 2015.
• Web of Science Citations: 2

Abstract

Objective The goals of this work were to analyze the skeletal muscle changes after complete spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats and to compare the effects of electrical stimulation and whole-body vibration on prevention of muscle hypotrophy in these animals. Design Seven-week-old male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: (1) sham operation (sham, n = 12), (2) SCI (n = 10), (3) SCI + electrical stimulation (n = 9), and (4) SCI + whole-body vibration (n = 9). Complete SCI was generated by surgical transection of the cord at the T10 level. Therapies were initiated 3 days after the surgery and continued for 30 days at a frequency of 3 days per week, 20 mins per day. The animals were killed on day 33 after injury for subsequent analyses. Results SCI caused a significant decrease in muscle mass and fibers, perimeter measurements, and mechanical resistance to traction as well as an increase in fibrotic tissue. Electrical stimulation, but not whole-body vibration, resulted in significant partial muscle hypotrophy prevention. Conclusions Electrical stimulation may be a potentially beneficial therapeutic modality to prevent muscle hypotrophy after SCI. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 09/09011-0 - Muscle structure analysis of spinal cord injured rats submitted to electrical stimulation: biomechanical study
• Grantee: Mariana Maloste Butezloff
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation