Effect of nerve growth factor on elderly degenerative knee osteoarthritis pain / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To explore effect of nerve growth factor (NGF) antibody on knee osteoarthritis (KOA) pain model was evaluated by in vitro model.@*METHODS@#Thirty male SPF rats aged 28-week-old were divided into blank group (10 rats with anesthesia only). The other 20 rats were with monoiodoacetate (MIA) on the right knee joint to establish pain model of OA, and were randomly divided into control group (injected intraperitoneal injection of normal saline) and treatment group (injected anti-NGF) intraperitoneal after successful modeling, and 10 rats in each group. All rats were received retrograde injection of fluorogold (FG) into the right knee joint. Gait was assessed using catwalk gait analysis system before treatment, 1 and 2 weeks after treatment. Three weeks after treatment, right dorsal root ganglia (DRG) were excised on L4-L6 level, immunostained for calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), and the number of DRGS was counted.@*RESULTS@#In terms of gait analysis using cat track system, duty cycle, swing speed and print area ratio in control and treatment group were significantly reduced compared with blank group (P<0.05). Compared with control group, duty cycle and swing speed of treatment group were significantly improved (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference in print area ratio between treatment group and blank group (P>0.05). The number of FG-labeled DRG neurons in control group was significantly higher than that in treatment group and blank group (P<0.05). The expression of CGRP in control group was up-regulated, and differences were statistically significant compared with treatment group (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Intraperitoneal injection of anti-NGF antibody inhibited gait injury and upregulation of CGRP in DRG neurons. The results suggest that anti-nerve growth factor therapy may be of value in treating knee pain. NGF may be an important target for the treatment of knee OA pain.

Gait Assessment of Pain and Analgesics: Comparison of the DigiGait™ and CatWalk™ Gait Imaging Systems / 神经科学通报·英文版

Investigation of pain requires measurements of nociceptive sensitivity and other pain-related behaviors. Recent studies have indicated the superiority of gait analysis over traditional evaluations (e.g., skin sensitivity and sciatic function index [SFI]) in detecting subtle improvements and deteriorations in animal models. Here, pain-related gait parameters, whose criteria include (1) alteration in pain models, (2) correlation with nociceptive threshold, and (3) normalization by analgesics, were identified in representative models of neuropathic pain (spared nerve injury: coordination data) and inflammatory pain (intraplantar complete Freund's adjuvant: both coordination and intensity data) in the DigiGait™ and CatWalk™ systems. DigiGait™ had advantages in fixed speed (controlled by treadmill) and dynamic SFI, while CatWalk™ excelled in intrinsic velocity, intensity data, and high-quality 3D images. Insights into the applicability of each system may provide guidance for selecting the appropriate gait imaging system for different animal models and optimization for future pain research.

Effect of low frequency stimulation in the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus on gait and motor activity in hemiparkinsonisom rat models / 中华神经医学杂志

Objective To study the effect of low frequency stimulation (LFS) in the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTg) on gait and movement ability in unilateral lesioned Parkinson's disease(PD) rats.Methods Thirty-two male SD rats were randomly assigned to control group (6-hydroxydopamine treatment,n=8) and experimental group (6-hydroxydopamine treatment combined with electrode implantation,n=24).All subjects were processed with injection of 6-hydroxydopamine in the fight medial forebrain bundle (MFB) and simultaneously the rats in the experimental group were received an electrode implantation into the ipsilateral PPTg.Catwalk gait and open field test data were acquired at 1 week before stereotactic surgery and 3 weeks after operation in the rats of control and experimental groups; the behavioral data of rats in the experimental group were recorded again 4 weeks after operation when they were under ongoing LFS-PPTg.Results Catwalk results showed that the postoperative couplings values (right front→left front,right front→left hind,right hind →left front,right hind →left hind) were significantly increased in all subjects as compared with the preoperative ones (P＜0.05); while couplings value in rats of the experimental group after LFS-PPTg significantly reduced as compared with that before LFS-PPTg (P＜0.05).The postoperative run speed variation statistically increased and postoperative cadence significantly decreased in all rats as compared with the preoperative ones (P＜0.05); the run speed variation significantly decreased and cadence obviously increased in experimental group after LFS-PPTg as compared with those before LFS-PPTg (P＜0.05).Open field test:the moving distance of all subjects decreased significantly after operation; the distance in rats of the experimental group after LFS-PPTg increased significantly as compared with that before LFS-PPTg.Conclusion LFS-PPTg can effectively improve gait function and motor activity of unilateral PD rat models.

CatWalk gait analysis in assessment of functional changes of the hind paw after SD rats being established the artificial bladder reflex arc / 中华神经医学杂志

Objective To assess the functional changes of the hind paw after SD rats being cut offthe L5 spinal nerve by CatWalk gait analysis.Methods Eleven male SD rats were chosen; the right side of these rats,as the experimental side,was cut the ventral root and dorsal root of L5 spinal nerve,while the left side was without any operation.One day after the operation,whether the models were successfully constructed was verified by tracer experiment with wheat germ agglutinin horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) in 3 rats; 1 day before the operation and 3 months after the operation,the changes of such parameters as general parameters,individual paw parameters,pain-related parameters and coordination-related parameters were assessed by using CatWalk gait analysis.Results The WGA-HRP-labeled motoneurons and fibers were not found in posterior horn and anterior horn of the experimental side of L5 spinal gray matter,but both located in the left side,indicating that the models were constructed successfully.General parameters,individual paw parameters and pain-related gait parameters could be recorded 3 months after the operation,but no statistically significant difference was noted as compared with those 1 day before the operation; however,significant decrease of values of regularity index (RI) and coupling diagonal right after-left front in rats 3 months after the operation was noted as compared with those 1 day before the operation (P＜0.05).Conclusion Only a part of coordination-related gait parameters (the lower limbs) is influenced after being cut L5 spinal nerve;therefore,L5 spinal nerve can be used for constructing of a bladder reflex arc.

Quantitative CatWalk analysis of gaits in rats with 6-hydroxydopamine-induced PD / 中华神经医学杂志

Objective To investigate the probability of quantitative analysis of parkinsonian gaits in unilateral 6-hydroxyl dopamine-lesioned rats. Methods A total of 24 male Wistar rats were assigned to control group (n=6),sham-operated group (n=6) and 6-OHDA inducement group (n=12).All subjects received anesthetization and the latter 2 groups further processed with injection of equivalent volumes of normal saline and 6-OHDA into the left medial longitudinal fasciculus on the operation day,respectively. The cylinder test and Catwalk analysis were applied successively 1 week before the operation for baseline value,and 3 d, 1 and 2 weeks after the operation. Results The cylinder test indicated that the proportion of using the right forelimbs was significantly decreased as compared with that using the left forelimbs in the 6-OHDA inducement group 3 d, 1 and 2 weeks after the operation (P＜0.05), but no significant differences of using the right forelimbs were shown in the control and sham-operated counterpart (P＞0.05). Catwalk analysis showed no significant differences either on the girdle comparisons of former/hinder limbs or on pre- and post-operation comparisons of individual limbs between control and sham-operated groups (P＞0.05). In the 6-OHDA inducement group,max contact area (MCA),paw length (PL),paw width (PW) and paw area (PA) for fore girdle comparisons and MCA for hinder ones showed significant differences (P＜0.05); all the 4 parameters of right hinder limb,the PL,PW and PA of left fore limb,the PA,PL and MCA of right fore limb,the PW of left hinder limb after the operation significantly decreased as compared with those before the operation (P＜0.05). Conclusion It is applicable to detect changes in gaits of Parkinson's disease quantitatively with Catwalk analysis,especially in terms of MCA,adding new tool for further study.

CatWalk-assisted gait test in evaluating motor funtion of rat models of traumatic brain injury / 中华神经医学杂志

Objective To explore the value of CatWalk-assisted gait test in evaluating the changes of motor function in the rat models of traumatic brain injury.Methods Improved Feeney tree fall brain damage device was employed to establish the craniocerebral injury rat models; injured loci were located in the right side of the brain cortex; CatWalk-assisted gait test and mNSS were performed on the 3rd,7th,14th and 28th d of injury.SPSS 13.0 software was used to compare the scores of the above tests.Results Significant differences on each parameter of the left hind limb were noted between the day before injury and the day of 7 d after injury(P＜0.05); and significant differences were also noted between left and right hind limbs(P＜0.05).Significant differences on such motion parameters as maximum contact area,contact strength,claw length and walking cycle in the left and right fore limbs were noted between the 14th d of injury and before injury(P＜0.05); and the walking cycle,average intensity and time of claws leaving the flat between two steps in these rats were signficantly different between the 14th d of injury and before injury(P＜0.05.No significant differences on each motion parameter were found between the 3rdand 28th d of injury(P＞0.05).Significant differences on mNSS scores were noted between the day before injury and the 3rd,7th 14th,and 28th d of injury(P＜0.05); and the mNSS scores on the 3rd and 7th d of injury were obviously higher than those before injury.Conclusion Catwalk-assisted gait test can accurately detect the changes of motor function,enjoying an important significance in the study of behavior of rat with traumatic brain injury.

Catwalk-assisted behavioral analysis of rat models of middle cerebral artery occlusion / 中华神经医学杂志

Objective To investigate the feasibility of Catwalk-assisted system in analyzing the behavioral features of rat models of middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO).Methods Thirty male SD rats were randomly assigned to experimental group and control group.Suture-occluded method was used to establish the focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion models in the experimental group.Traditional modified neurological severity scale(mNSS),vibrissae-evoked forelimb placing test and cylinder test were employed to analyze the behavioral characteristics of the SD rats 1,3,7,14 and 28 dafter establishment of rat models.Besides that,Catwalk-assisted gait analysis system was employed at the same time points.Results Catwalk-assisted gait analysis results suggest rats from experimental group had smaller intensity,print area and slower walk speed than rats from control group.Besides that,interlimb coordination also changed on the 3rd d of operation and existed until the 28th d of operation.Rotate step patterns like Ra(1.5％)and Rb(2.3％)were detected in experimental group but never seen in control group.Parameters as cadence,stance,swing and other regularity index had no significant changes between the 2 groups.Conclusion Catwalk analysis system,by analyzing such movement parameters of MCAO rats as intensity,speed,print area,step pattern and interlimb coordination,can commendably reflect the damage of brain ischemia and its changes crossing time,which can comprehensively analyze many behavioral features of the models.