Open Access

Effective robotic assistive pattern of treadmill training for spinal cord injury in a rat model

  • Authors:
    • Bo‑Lun Zhao
    • Wen‑Tao Li
    • Xiao‑Hua Zhou
    • Su‑Qian Wu
    • Hong‑Shi Cao
    • Zhu‑Ren Bao
    • Li‑Bin An
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: January 31, 2018     https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2018.5822
  • Pages: 3283-3294
  • Copyright: © Zhao et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to establish an effective robotic assistive stepping pattern of body‑weight‑supported treadmill training based on a rat spinal cord injury (SCI) model and assess the effect by comparing this with another frequently used assistive stepping pattern. The recorded stepping patterns of both hind limbs of trained intact rats were edited to establish a 30‑sec playback normal rat stepping pattern (NRSP). Step features (step length, step height, step number and swing duration), BBB scores, latencies, and amplitudes of the transcranial electrical motor‑evoked potentials (tceMEPs) and neurofilament 200 (NF200) expression in the spinal cord lesion area during and after 3 weeks of body‑weight‑supported treadmill training (BWSTT) were compared in rats with spinal contusion receiving NRSP assistance (NRSPA) and those that received manual assistance (MA). Hind limb stepping performance among rats receiving NRSPA during BWSTT was greater than that among rats receiving MA in terms of longer step length, taller step height, and longer swing duration. Furthermore a higher BBB score was also indicated. The rats in the NRSPA group achieved superior results in the tceMEPs assessment and greater NF200 expression in the spinal cord lesion area compared with the rats in the MA group. These findings suggest NRSPA was an effective assistive pattern of treadmill training compared with MA based on the rat SCI model and this approach could be used as a new platform for animal experiments for better understanding the mechanisms of SCI rehabilitation.
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April-2018
Volume 15 Issue 4

Print ISSN: 1792-0981
Online ISSN:1792-1015

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Spandidos Publications style
Zhao BL, Li WT, Zhou XH, Wu SQ, Cao HS, Bao ZR and An LB: Effective robotic assistive pattern of treadmill training for spinal cord injury in a rat model. Exp Ther Med 15: 3283-3294, 2018
APA
Zhao, B., Li, W., Zhou, X., Wu, S., Cao, H., Bao, Z., & An, L. (2018). Effective robotic assistive pattern of treadmill training for spinal cord injury in a rat model. Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine, 15, 3283-3294. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2018.5822
MLA
Zhao, B., Li, W., Zhou, X., Wu, S., Cao, H., Bao, Z., An, L."Effective robotic assistive pattern of treadmill training for spinal cord injury in a rat model". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 15.4 (2018): 3283-3294.
Chicago
Zhao, B., Li, W., Zhou, X., Wu, S., Cao, H., Bao, Z., An, L."Effective robotic assistive pattern of treadmill training for spinal cord injury in a rat model". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 15, no. 4 (2018): 3283-3294. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2018.5822