Locomotor Analysis of theTaiepRat

Abstract

Locomotor activity (tremor, ataxia, immobility, epilepsy, and paralysis) in the taiep rat, which suffers from a myelin deficient disorder, has not been previously documented. This study used walking track analysis of footprints to analyze locomotor activity in the taiep rat in comparison to normal, age-matched controls. The results confirmed differences between normal and taiep rats in terms of stride length, step length, and stride width. In addition, we found significant interactions between age and condition for stride and step length. The results suggest that locomotor analysis is a sensitive indicator of myelin deficiency. The results are discussed in terms of the underlying myelin deficiency and possible treatment regimens.

Behavioral Effects of Chronic Melatonin and Pregnenolone Injections in a Myelin Mutant Rat (taiep)

“…Past research has shown that taiep mutant rats display smaller step and stride lengths, and larger stride widths than normal animals of the same age (Anch et al, 2000). Introducing melatonin and pregnenolone ameliorates the locomotor abnormalities reported previously.…”

“…This result, in fact, is in tune with earlier investigations of ruiep mutants. Anch et al (2000) reported that stride width is a more sensitive measure and may, therefore, be able to reflect a smaller improvement than step or stride length. A larger dose may allow a detectable improvement on the front-step, hind-step, and stride-length measures.…”

“…Measures of gait outside this range can be affected by velocity to an extent that makes them not comparable between animals (Clarke & Parker). Anch et al (2000) used a systematic analysis of locomotor activity in the taiep rat to provide objective criteria for the evaluation of behavioral deficiencies. The researchers used three dependent variables to assess the raiep animals.…”

An evaluation of the use of seizure prone rats when investigating intermediate stage sleep

“…At 12 months of age, the deficit is even more pronounced, with only 9% of the myelin of normal rats (Duncan et al, 1992). Taiep mutants also present with disturbances in gate and locomotion as a result of myelin dysfunction (Anch et al, 2000;Bloom et al, 2002;Powell et al, 1999) The seizures that occur follow the progression of this disease; paroxysmal spike-wave discharges begin to appear at age 6 months, and progressively increase in frequency as the animals approach 12 months of age. The exact etiology of the seizure activity has not been comprehensively studied in this strain of rat, but it is most likely due to the deterioration of myelin within the areas of the CNS mentioned above, hence the correlation of the presence of seizure activity with the progression of the disease.…”

Behavioral assessment of visual deficits in the taiep mutant

“…This relatively long life span has made it a useful model for investigating behavioral manifestations of myelin disease. 4 An autosomal recessive disorder, the taiep mutation is characterized by a progressive accumulation of microtubules near the smooth endoplasmic reticulum of the oligodendrocytes. 5 This cytoskeletal abnormality appears to coincide with astrocytosis in the brain and interferes with the intracellular mechanisms necessary to maintain normal CNS myelin.…”