Induced auxotonic muscle contractions in animals with lateral spinal cord hemisection under various cooling regimens

Abstract

We studied the effects of long-term moderate hypothermia on induced auxotonic contractions of dog hindlimb extensor muscle after lateral hemisection of the spinal cord at the thoracolumbar region (TXII-LI–II) during the early and late postoperative periods (1–2 and 3–5 weeks, respectively). The mechanisms of antispastic effects of moderate hypothermia are different: the immediate effect was due to cold blockade of spinal neurons, while delayed effects resulted from activation of descending bilateral oversegmental motor apparatus.