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Abstract
Although spinal cord injury (SCI) is the main cause of disability worldwide, there is still no definite and effective treatment method for this condition. Our previous clinical trials confirmed that the increased excitability of the motor cortex was related to the functional prognosis of patients with SCI. However, it remains unclear which cell types in the motor cortex lead to the later functional recovery. Herein, we applied optogenetic technology to selectively activate glutamate neurons in the primary motor cortex and explore whether activation of glutamate neurons in the primary motor cortex can promote functional recovery after SCI in rats and the preliminary neural mechanisms involved. Our results showed that the activation of glutamate neurons in the motor cortex could significantly improve the motor function scores in rats, effectively shorten the incubation period of motor evoked potentials and increase motor potentials’ amplitude. In addition, hematoxylin-eosin staining and nerve fiber staining at the injured site showed that accurate activation of the primary motor cortex could effectively promote tissue recovery and neurofilament growth (GAP-43, NF) at the injured site of the spinal cord, while the content of some growth-related proteins (BDNF, NGF) at the injured site increased. These results suggested that selective activation of glutamate neurons in the primary motor cortex can promote functional recovery after SCI and may be of great significance for understanding the neural cell mechanism underlying functional recovery induced by motor cortex stimulation.
Highlights
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a serious trauma of the central nervous system and one of the main causes of human disability (Harvey et al, 1992; Cadotte and Fehlings, 2011)
The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the specific activation of M1 glutaminergic neurons of rats after spinal cord injury (SCI) can promote the recovery of their motor function
Our results showed that the specific activation of M1 glutaminergic neurons could increase the content of neurotrophic factors in the injured spinal cord, promoting the regeneration of nerve fiber axons and improving the supporting and grasping ability of rat hind limbs after SCI
Summary
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a serious trauma of the central nervous system and one of the main causes of human disability (Harvey et al, 1992; Cadotte and Fehlings, 2011). SCI often leads to limb motor dysfunction, which in turn may lower the patient’s quality of life, cause the loss of labor, and bring a huge burden to society and families (Ahmad et al, 2015). Restoring extremity functions of patients with SCI can make many activities of daily living reality, which may significantly decrease the social and economic burdens. Researchers have carried out a lot of research on nerve repair after SCI in the past decades. Great progress has been made in understanding the mechanism of secondary injury of SCI.
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