The effect of underwater partial body-weight-supported treadmill training on hindlimb locomotor function recovery and on the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurotrophin-3 in rats after spinal cord injury
10.3760/cma.j.issn.0254-1424.2010.12.002
- VernacularTitle:水中平板步行训练对脊髓损伤大鼠运动功能及脑源性神经营养因子、神经营养素-3表达的影响
- Author:
Haiyan LIN
;
Wenzhan TU
;
Taotao TAO
;
Huaixia LIU
;
Bo CHENG
;
Songhe JIANG
;
Lu JIKE
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Spinal cord injury;
Underwater treadmill training;
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor;
Neurotrophin -3
- From:
Chinese Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
2010;32(12):887-891
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective To observe the efficacy of underwater partial body-weight-supported treadmill training in repairing spinal cord injury (SCI) and its relationship with spinal nerve plasticity. Methods A total of 40 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups: a sham model group, a model control group, an underwater training group, a partial body-weight-supported treadmill training (PBWSTT) group and an underwater PBWSTT group. A rat model of SCI was induced by contusion of the T10 segment with a Multicenter Animal Spinal Cord Injury Study (MASCIS) impactor. One week post-operation, different rehabilitation strategies, such as free exercise in water, BWSTT and underwater PBWSTT, were administered to the rats in the underwater training groups for 8 weeks.Those in the sham model group and model control group were given no training. The Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan (BBB) locomotor rating scale and a climbing test were used to evaluate the recovery of hindlimb locomotor function.The expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) in the spinal cords was detected with immunohistochemical methods. Results Nine weeks post-operation, hindlimb locomotor function had improved significantly more in the underwater PBWSTT group than in underwater training group or the BWSTT group.The expression of BDNF in the 3 training groups was significantly higher than in the model control group, though there was no significant difference among the 3 training groups. The expression of NT-3 in the underwater PBWSTT group increased more significantly than in the BWSTT group, however there was no significant difference between the underwater PBWSTT group and the underwater training group. Conclusion Underwater PBWSTT can promote the recovery of hindlimb locomotor function in rats after SCI, probably through increasing the expression of BDNF and NT-3 and thus promoting neural plasticity in the spinal cord.
