PMID- 18001204
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20080227
LR  - 20220321
IS  - 0897-7151 (Print)
IS  - 0897-7151 (Linking)
VI  - 24
IP  - 11
DP  - 2007 Nov
TI  - Social and environmental enrichment improves sensory and motor recovery after 
      severe contusive spinal cord injury in the rat.
PG  - 1761-72
AB  - Neuropathic pain and motor dysfunction are difficult problems following spinal 
      cord injury (SCI). Social and environmental enrichment (SEE), which models much 
      of the clinical rehabilitation environment for post-SCI persons, is the focus of 
      the current investigation which examines the effects of multiple-housing and the 
      addition of climbing spaces, improved bedding and crawl toys on the sensory and 
      motor recovery following a severe contusive SCI. Efficacy was determined with 
      sensory testing, open-field motor behavioral testing, lesion volume analysis and 
      quantification of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the lumbar spinal 
      cord with and without SEE provided during the recovery period. Sensory and motor 
      testing were performed weekly for 12 weeks following SCI. SEE significantly and 
      permanently reversed cutaneous allodynia, but not thermal hyperalgesia, to near 
      normal levels. The gross locomotor performance (BBB [Basso, Beattie, and 
      Bresnahan] motor scores) significantly improved about two points. In addition, 
      the BBB subscale scores were significantly improved nearly seven points by the 
      end of the study. SEE also significantly improved foot rotation to normal levels 
      and reduced gridwalk footfall errors nearly 50%, but had no effect on stride 
      length or base of support dysfunctions. SEE significantly increased the total 
      volume of a thoracic segment of cord encompassing the injury site at 12 weeks, by 
      reducing cavitation and increasing both the volume of grey and white matter 
      spared, compared to SCI alone. When BDNF levels were examined in the injured 
      lumbar spinal cord, SEE significantly returned BDNF levels to near-normal. These 
      data suggest that immediate use of SEE after contusive SCI is able to improve 
      overall spinal cell survival and prevent much of the sensory and motor 
      dysfunction that accompanies contusive SCI.
FAU - Berrocal, Yerko
AU  - Berrocal Y
AD  - The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Miller School of Medicine at the University 
      of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA.
FAU - Pearse, Damien D
AU  - Pearse DD
FAU - Singh, Amanpreet
AU  - Singh A
FAU - Andrade, Christian M
AU  - Andrade CM
FAU - McBroom, Jordan S
AU  - McBroom JS
FAU - Puentes, Rocio
AU  - Puentes R
FAU - Eaton, Mary J
AU  - Eaton MJ
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
PT  - Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
PL  - United States
TA  - J Neurotrauma
JT  - Journal of neurotrauma
JID - 8811626
SB  - IM
MH  - Animals
MH  - Contusions/complications/physiopathology/*rehabilitation
MH  - Female
MH  - Hyperalgesia/etiology/*prevention & control
MH  - Motor Activity/*physiology
MH  - Neuronal Plasticity
MH  - Rats
MH  - Rats, Inbred F344
MH  - Recovery of Function/*physiology
MH  - *Social Environment
MH  - Spinal Cord Injuries/complications/physiopathology/*rehabilitation
MH  - Thoracic Vertebrae
EDAT- 2007/11/16 09:00
MHDA- 2008/02/28 09:00
CRDT- 2007/11/16 09:00
PHST- 2007/11/16 09:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2008/02/28 09:00 [medline]
PHST- 2007/11/16 09:00 [entrez]
AID - 10.1089/neu.2007.0327 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - J Neurotrauma. 2007 Nov;24(11):1761-72. doi: 10.1089/neu.2007.0327.