Abstract
Introduction: Neuroanatomy-based functional examinations are crucial for understanding the extent and effects of infarcts in stroke studies. Despite the importance of correlating neurological function with brain anatomy, a comprehensive neurological score that correlates with infarction volume and location following middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in mice is lacking. During the pilot phase of the Stroke Preclinical Assessment Network (SPAN), a new scoring system—SPAN score—was developed. This study aims to evaluate the reliability and validity of the SPAN score, a 9-item tool rated on a 0-3 Likert scale. Methods: The SPAN 2.0 pilot database was utilized for analysis. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha (α) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for individual items and the total score. Multivariate regression was performed for item selection and to determine the weight of each item. Concurrent validity was examined by correlating post-operative day 2 infarction volume, as measured by MRI, with the SPAN score. Results: The total SPAN score demonstrated acceptable reliability, with Cronbach's α and ICC both at 0.751. Item-total correlation coefficients of each item ranged from 0.092 to 0.638. The Pearson correlation coefficient between the total SPAN score and infarction volume was 0.539. Notably, spontaneous activity showed a reversed relationship with other items; excluding this item increased Cronbach's α to 0.766. Conclusion: The SPAN score proves to be a reliable and valid tool for neuroanatomy-based functional assessment in mouse stroke models following MCAO. Ongoing analysis will focus on refining the score by reducing the number of items, adjusting the Likert scale, incorporating lesion area, and further exploring item relationships.
Published Version
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