MASCIS Evaluation of Open Field Locomotor Scores: Effects of Experience and Teamwork on Reliability

Abstract

The Multicenter Animal Spinal Cord Injury Study (MASCIS) adopted a modified 21-point open field locomotor scale developed by Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) at Ohio State University (OSU) to measure motor recovery in spinal-injured rats. BBB scores categorize combinations of rat hindlimb movements, trunk position and stability, stepping, coordination, paw placement, toe clearance, and tail position, representing sequential recovery stages that rats attain after spinal cord injury. A total of 22 observers from 8 participating centers assessed 18 hindlimbs of 9 rats at 2-6 weeks after graded spinal cord injury. The observers were segregated into 10 teams. The teams were grouped into 3 cohorts (A, B, and C), consisting of one experienced team from OSU and two non-OSU teams. The cohorts evaluated the rats in three concurrent and sequential sessions. After viewing a rat for 4 min, individual observers first assigned scores without discussion. Members of each team then discussed and assigned a team score. Experience (OSU vs. non-OSU) and teamwork (individual vs. team) had no significant effect on mean scores although the mean scores of one cohort differed significantly from the others (p = 0.0002, ANOVA). However, experience and teamwork significantly influenced reliability of scoring. OSU team scores had a mean standard deviation or discordance of 0.59 points, significantly less than 1.31 points for non-OSU team scores (p = 0.003, ANOVA) and 1.30 points for non-OSU individual scores (p = 0.001, ANOVA). Discordances were greater at the upper and lower ends of the scale, exceeding 2.0 in the lower (< 5) and upper (> 15) ends of the scale but were < 1.0 for scores between 4 and 16. Comparisons of non-OSU and OSU team scores indicated a high reliability coefficient of 0.892 and a correlation index (r2) of 0.894. These results indicate that inexperienced observers can learn quickly to assign consistent BBB scores that approach those given by experienced teams, that the scores are most consistent between 4 and 16, and that experience improves consistency of team scores.

Protective effects of oral creatine supplementation on spinal cord injury in rats

“…Impact velocity and compression depth were recorded and analyzed (NYU spinal cord contusion system, Impactor software version 7.0) as described previously. 30,31 For postoperative analgesia the animals received Rimadyl (5 mg Carprofen/100 g bw) subcutaneously for the following 2 days. Their bladders were manually expressed three times a day until the voiding re¯ex was established.…”

“…30,31 The rats were observed for 4 min in a transparent Plexiglas box with a non-slippery¯oor. A score of 0 indicates no spontaneous movement, 21 points represent normal gait.…”

“…18 ± 21 In animal models of several neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) 22 and Huntington's disease, 23 creatine has proven to be a remarkably potent neuroprotective agent. Orally supplemented creatine is transported by a speci®c creatine transporter into muscle and neural tissues 24 as measured non-invasively by 31 P-NMP spectroscopy, giving rise to a signi®cantly increased PCr/ATP ratio in the rat brain 25 or by 1H-NMR spectroscopy in either creatine-de®cient patients 26 or healthy subjects, 27 showing that total creatine concentration is elevated in the brain after creatine supplementation. In a recent study with several animal species the elevation by creatine supplementation of total creatine into various organs including the brain has been con®rmed by chemical analysis.…”

Soluble complement receptor type 1 inhibits complement system activation and improves motor function in acute spinal cord injury

“…Scores ranged from 0 to 21, with 21 points considered normal and 0 points correlating to no movement of the hindlimbs. 13 Motor function was evaluated by two independent and blinded observers and the average of three trials was recorded at each time point after SCI.…”

Progress in Spinal Cord Research - A refined strategy for the International Spinal Research Trust

“…We need to consider the reality of standardising models across centres, although e orts have already been made with the NYU impactor model which has now been standardised across multiple centres. 179,180 Finally, whatever model is used, whether it be a complete or partial transection or a contusion injury, it is essential that the injury is consistent and has reproducible anatomical and behavioural outcomes. The following ISRT objectives are aimed at establishing well characterised models of acute and chronic spinal cord damage and repair: (i) To delineate the basic operational and descriptive parameters (precise nature of the lesion, including location and proportion of the CNS axonal ®bres that are dislocated, etc) that should be established for all animal models used in SCI research, in order to facilitate the transfer of models between laboratories, to enhance the reproducibility of results and to promote the integration of results from di erent studies.…”