scholarly journals How to generate graded spinal cord injuries in swine?: Tools and procedures

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Züchner ◽  
Manuel J. Escalona ◽  
Lena Hammerlund Teige ◽  
Evangelos Balafas ◽  
Lili Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Animal Models ◽  
Functional Outcome ◽  
Spinal Cord Injuries ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Swine Model ◽  
Large Animal ◽  
Large Animal Models ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
The Impact

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a medically, psychologically and socially disabling condition. A large body of our knowledge on the basic mechanisms of SCI has been gathered in rodents. For preclinical validation of promising therapies, the use of animal models that are closer to humans has several advantages. This has promoted a more intensive development of large animal models for SCI during the past decade. We have recently developed a multimodal SCI apparatus for large animals that generated biomechanically reproducible impacts in vivo. It is composed of a spring-load impactor and support systems for the spinal cord and the vertebral column. We now present the functional outcome of farm pigs and minipigs injured with different lesion strengths. There was a correlation between the biomechanical characteristics of the impact, the functional outcome, and the tissue damage observed several weeks after injury. We also provide a detailed description of the procedure to generate such a SCI in both farm pigs and minipigs, in the hope to ease the adoption of the swine model by other research groups.

The Hemisection Approach in Large Animal Models of Spinal Cord Injury: Overview of Methods and Applications

2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 240-251
Author(s):  
S. Wilson ◽  
S. J. Nagel ◽  
L. A. Frizon ◽  
D. C. Fredericks ◽  
N. A. DeVries-Watson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Animal Models ◽  
Large Animal ◽  
Large Animal Models ◽  
Cord Injury

A Review of Stem Cell Therapy for Spinal Cord Injury: Large Animal Models and the Frontier in Humans

2017 ◽  
Vol 98 ◽  
pp. 438-443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandon C. Gabel ◽  
Erik I. Curtis ◽  
Martin Marsala ◽  
Joseph D. Ciacci
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Animal Models ◽  
Cell Therapy ◽  
Stem Cell Therapy ◽  
Large Animal ◽  
Large Animal Models ◽  
Cord Injury

scholarly journals White matter regeneration induced by aligned fibrin nanofiber hydrogel contributes to motor functional recovery in canine T12 spinal cord injury

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zheng Cao ◽  
Weitao Man ◽  
Yuhui Xiong ◽  
Yi Guo ◽  
Shuhui Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Nerve Regeneration ◽  
Spinal Cord Injuries ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Nerve Fibers ◽  
Functional Restoration ◽  
Large Animal ◽  
Cord Injury

Abstract A hierarchically aligned fibrin hydrogel (AFG) that possesses soft stiffness and aligned nanofiber structure has been successfully proven to facilitate neuroregeneration in vitro and in vivo. However, its potential in promoting nerve regeneration in large animal models that is critical for clinical translation has not been sufficiently specified. Here, the effects of AFG on directing neuroregeneration in canine hemisected T12 spinal cord injuries were explored. Histologically obvious white matter regeneration consisting of a large area of consecutive, compact, and aligned nerve fibers is induced by AFG, leading to a significant motor functional restoration. The canines with AFG implantation start to stand well with their defective legs from 3 to 4 weeks postoperatively and even effortlessly climb the steps from 7 to 8 weeks. Moreover, high-resolution multi-shot diffusion tensor imaging illustrates the spatiotemporal dynamics of nerve regeneration rapidly crossing the lesion within 4 weeks in the AFG group. Our findings indicate that AFG could be a potential therapeutic vehicle for spinal cord injury by inducing rapid white matter regeneration and restoring locomotion, pointing out its promising prospect in clinic practice.

scholarly journals Acquisition of a precision walking skill and the impact of proprioceptive deficits in people with motor-incomplete spinal cord injury

2019 ◽  
Vol 121 (3) ◽  
pp. 1078-1084 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda E. Chisholm ◽  
Taha Qaiser ◽  
Alison M. M. Williams ◽  
Gevorg Eginyan ◽  
Tania Lam
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Visual Feedback ◽  
Spinal Cord Injuries ◽  
Sensory Function ◽  
Joint Position ◽  
Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Rate Of Learning ◽  
The Impact

Many people with motor-incomplete spinal cord injury (m-iSCI) experience difficulty navigating obstacles, such as curbs and stairs. The ability to relearn walking skills may be limited by proprioceptive deficits. The purpose of this study was to determine the capacity of participants to acquire a precision walking skill, and to evaluate the influence of proprioceptive deficits on the skill acquisition in individuals with m-iSCI. Sixteen individuals with m-iSCI and eight controls performed a precision walking task that required matching their foot height to a target during the swing phase. Proprioceptive deficits were quantified at the hip and knee for joint position and movement detection sense. Participants completed 600 steps of training with visual feedback. Pretraining and posttraining tests were conducted without visual feedback, along with a transfer test with an ankle weight. Posttraining and transfer tests were repeated 1 day later. Participants returned to the laboratory 1 wk later to repeat the training. Performance was calculated as the vertical distance between the target and actual foot height for each step. The posttraining and transfer performances were similar between groups. However, participants with m-iSCI had a slower rate of acquisition to achieve a similar performance level compared with controls. Acquisition rate and posttraining performance of the precision walking task were related to lower limb joint position sense among SCI participants. Although they can achieve a similar level of performance in a precision walking task, proprioceptive deficits impair the rate of learning among individuals with m-iSCI compared with able-bodied controls. NEW & NOTEWORTHY People with motor-incomplete spinal cord injuries are able to achieve the same level of performance accuracy on a precision walking task as able-bodied controls; however, the rate of learning is slower, indicating that more practice is required to stabilize performance. Our findings also show a relationship between impaired sensory function and reduced accuracy when performing a precision walking task after spinal cord injury.

scholarly journals Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs and Their Neuroprotective Role After an Acute Spinal Cord Injury: A Systematic Review of Animal Models

2020 ◽  
pp. 219256822090168
Author(s):  
Mark J. Lambrechts ◽  
James L. Cook
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Animal Models ◽  
Motor Function ◽  
Spinal Cord Injuries ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Improve Motor Function ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Inflammatory Drugs ◽  
Anti Inflammatory

Study Design: Systematic review. Objective: Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) resulting in motor deficits can be devastating injuries resulting in millions of health care dollars spent per incident. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a potential class of drugs that could improve motor function after an SCI. This systematic review utilizes PRISMA guidelines to evaluate the effectiveness of NSAIDs for SCI. Methods: PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Embase, and Scopus were reviewed linking the keywords of “ibuprofen,” “meloxicam,” “naproxen,” “ketorolac,” “indomethacin,” “celecoxib,” “ATB-346,” “NSAID,” and “nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug” with “spinal.” Results were reviewed for relevance and included if they met inclusion criteria. The SYRCLE checklist was used to assess sources of bias. Results: A total of 2960 studies were identified in the PubMed/MEDLINE database using the above-mentioned search criteria. A total of 461 abstracts were reviewed in Scopus, 340 in CINAHL, 179 in PsycINFO, and 7632 in Embase. A total of 15 articles met the inclusion criteria. Conclusions: NSAIDs’ effectiveness after SCI is largely determined by its ability to inhibit Rho-A. NSAIDs are a promising therapeutic option in acute SCI patients because they appear to decrease cord edema and inflammation, increase axonal sprouting, and improve motor function with minimal side effects. Studies are limited by heterogeneity, small sample size, and the use of animal models, which might not replicate the therapeutic effects in humans. There are no published human studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of these drugs after a traumatic cord injury. There is a need for well-designed prospective studies evaluating ibuprofen or indomethacin after adult spinal cord injuries.

Minimally Invasive Injection to the Phrenic Nerve in a Porcine Hemidiaphragmatic Paralysis Model: A Pilot Study

Neurosurgery ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 87 (4) ◽  
pp. 847-853 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pavlos Texakalidis ◽  
Muhibullah S Tora ◽  
Skyler Canute ◽  
Nathan Hardcastle ◽  
Kelly Poth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Motor Neurons ◽  
Phrenic Nerve ◽  
Vital Signs ◽  
Swine Model ◽  
Large Animal ◽  
Diaphragmatic Dysfunction ◽  
Thoracoscopic Approach ◽  
Large Animal Models ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Motor Neuron Loss

Abstract BACKGROUND Neurodegenerative diseases and spinal cord injury can affect respiratory function often through motor neuron loss innervating the diaphragm. To reinnervate this muscle, new motor neurons could be transplanted into the phrenic nerve (PN), allowing them to extend axons to the diaphragm. These neurons could then be driven by an optogenetics approach to regulate breathing. This type of approach has already been demonstrated in the peripheral nerves of mice. However, there is no established thoracoscopic approach to PN injection. Also, there is currently a lack of preclinical large animal models of diaphragmatic dysfunction in order to evaluate the efficacy of potential treatments. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the feasibility of thoracoscopic drug delivery into the PN and to assess the viability of hemidiaphragmatic paralysis in a porcine model. METHODS Two Landrace farm pigs underwent a novel procedure for thoracoscopic PN injections, including 1 nonsurvival and 1 survival surgery. Nonsurvival surgery involved bilateral PN injections and ligation. Survival surgery included a right PN injection and transection proximal to the injection site to induce hemidiaphragmatic paralysis. RESULTS PN injections were successfully performed in both procedures. The animal that underwent survival surgery recovered postoperatively with an established right hemidiaphragmatic paralysis. Over the 5-d postoperative period, the animal displayed stable vital signs and oxygenation saturation on room air with voluntary breathing. CONCLUSION Thoracoscopic targeting of the porcine PN is a feasible approach to administer therapeutic agents. A swine model of hemidiaphragmatic paralysis induced by unilateral PN ligation or transection may be potentially used to study diaphragmatic reinnervation following delivery of therapeutics.

Men’s Adjustment to Spinal Cord Injury: The Unique Contributions of Conformity to Masculine Gender Norms

2009 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaun Michael Burns ◽  
Sigmund Hough ◽  
Briana L. Boyd ◽  
Justin Hill
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Spinal Cord Injuries ◽  
Gender Norms ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Masculine Norms ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Future Research Directions ◽  
The Impact

Men constitute 82% of the approximately 250,000 people in the United States living with a spinal cord injury. Unfortunately, however, little is known about the impact of men’s adherence to gender norms on their adjustment to such injuries. The present investigation examined the utility of masculine norms in explaining variance in depression beyond that accounted for by commonly identified predictors of men’s adjustment following spinal cord injury. As hypothesized, results suggested that men’s adherence to masculine norms accounted for unique variance in their depression scores beyond that contributed by social support, environmental barriers/access, and erectile functioning. Respondents who adhered to norms stressing the primacy of men’s work demonstrated lower rates of depression, whereas those who conformed to norms for self-reliance demonstrated higher depression scores. The authors discuss future research directions and potential psychotherapeutic strategies for working with men with spinal cord injuries.

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