| Objectives: To explore the effect of treadmill training on hindlimbs functional recovery for rats with incomplete spinal cord injury(SCI) and its'underlying mechanism.Materials and Method 20 three-month-old female SD rats were randomly divided into control group (A group) and experimental group (B group), 10 rats in each group.Spinal cord contused model was made at thoracic 10 segments with NYU impactor device. The experimental group received treadmill training 1 week postinjury.The treadmill training last for 8 weeks. The control group did not receive intervention.The hindlimbs functional recovery was evaluated by the Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan(BBB)scales and incline plane test. After training for 8 weeks, the expression of 5-HT and NA was detected by immunohisto- chemistry staining.Results BBB score was significantly higher in group B than in group A since 3 weeks postinjury. The score of incline plane test was significantly higher in group B than in group A since 4 weeks postinjury. The correlation coefficient is a positive correlation between the BBB score and the incline plane test score in the experimental group. In injured region of the control group, there were a large number liquefaction zone, in most of the holes were macrophage-like change, surrounded by dense fibrous glial cells; in the experimental group liquefied area and glial cells were significantly reduced. The density of 5-HT and DBH neurons and number of 5-HT and NA nerve fibers of spinal cord in caudal site of injured region was increased in group B than in group A at 9 weeks postinjury.Conclusions Treadmill training can promote hindlimbs locomotor function recovery in rats with spinal cord injury. The mechanism was involved with the improvement of 5-HT and DBH neurons,5-HT and NA nerve fibers plasticity in the caudal site of injured region. |
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