Animals models of spinal cord contusion injury

Abstract

Spinal cord contusion injury is one of the most serious nervous system disorders, characterized by high morbidity and disability. To mimic spinal cord contusion in humans, various animal models of spinal contusion injury have been developed. These models have been developed in rats, mice, and monkeys. However, most of these models are developed using rats. Two types of animal models, i.e. bilateral contusion injury and unilateral contusion injury models, are developed using either a weight drop method or impactor method. In the weight drop method, a specific weight or a rod, having a specific weight and diameter, is dropped from a specific height on to the exposed spinal cord. Low intensity injury is produced by dropping a 5 g weight from a height of 8 cm, moderate injury by dropping 10 g weight from a height of 12.5–25 mm, and high intensity injury by dropping a 25 g weight from a height of 50 mm. In the impactor method, injury is produced through an impactor by delivering a specific force to the exposed spinal cord area. Mild injury is produced by delivering 100 ± 5 kdyn of force, moderate injury by delivering 200 ± 10 kdyn of force, and severe injury by delivering 300 ± 10 kdyn of force. The contusion injury produces a significant development of locomotor dysfunction, which is generally evident from the 0–14 th day of surgery and is at its peak after the 28–56 th day. The present review discusses different animal models of spinal contusion injury.

Jia-Ji Electro-Acupuncture Improves Locomotor Function With Spinal Cord Injury by Regulation of Autophagy Flux and Inhibition of Necroptosis

“…Rodent models have become standard in the past 30 years and have been widely used in SCI research (Kwon et al, 2015). Rats are the best choice and the most widely used due to the limit field of vision of mice (Verma et al, 2019). In rat model of SCI, we observed that there was a significant improvement on motor function after EA treatment compared to Model group at 3 and 7 days time points (P < 0.01).…”

“…For Sham group, only laminectomy was performed. The SCI model was then produced using a NYU Impactor M-III strike (a 10 g pouching rod of 2.5 mm diameter with drop of 50 mm and damage of 50 g•cm) at the T10 segment to create relatively serious injury (Verma et al, 2019). All SCI rats conformed to the following injury criteria: spinal cord ischemia and edema, formation of tail sway reflex, flicking of both body and legs, and the appearance of sluggish paralysis.…”

Acute spinal cord injury: Pathophysiology and pharmacological intervention (Review)

“…Notably, riluzole has an important role in protecting against excitotoxic cell death by blocking the sodium channel in the injured neurons constraining the presynaptic toggle of glutamate ( 97 ). Neuronal loss and cavity size have been reduced in SCI animal models ( 98 ). A significant improvement of sensorimotor and results of electrophysiological were demonstrated in a previous study ( 66 ).…”

A new model of spinal cord injury by cryoapplication: Morphodynamics of histological changes of the spinal cord lesion

“…Rodent models are typically used in the experiments with SCI induction to assess compression-or contusion-simulating impact [9][10][11]. Though these SCI models reproduce a realistic clinical course of the spinal cord injury in humans, they have multiple drawbacks, in particular, the impossibility to induce a «standardized» defect.…”

“…In the control group of animals where only surgical approach to the spinal cord was performed (without exposure to low temperatures), the full recovery of motor activity was reported much earlier -five days after the surgery (fig 9). [11,14]. Current SCI models cause significant urinary system dysfunctions in rats, which is a serious drawback [14].…”