Samuel J MacKenzie1, Juneyoung L Yi2, Amit Singla2, Thomas M Russell1, Blair Calancie2. 1. Department of Neuroscience, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York, USA. 2. Department of Neurosurgery, Institute for Human Performance, Upstate Medical University, 750 East Adams Street, Syracuse, New York, 13210, USA.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The rat tail exhibits functional impairment after cauda equina injury. Our goal was to better understand the innervation and roles of muscles that control the tail. METHODS: Adult rats received either: (1) ventral root injury; (2) caudales nerve injury; or (3) mapping of sacrococcygeal myotomes. Activation of small muscles within the tail itself (intrinsics) was compared with that of larger lumbosacral muscles acting on the tail (extrinsics). Behavioral testing of tail movement was done 1 week later. RESULTS: Rats that received ventral root injury exhibited multiple behavioral deficits, whereas rats with injury to caudales nerves maintained more fully preserved tail movement. Mapping studies revealed much broader overlap of myotomes for extrinsic muscles. CONCLUSIONS: Extrinsic tail muscles play a greater role in tail movement in the rat than their intrinsic counterparts and are innervated by multiple neurological segments. These findings have major implications for future research on cauda equina injury.
INTRODUCTION: The rat tail exhibits functional impairment after cauda equina injury. Our goal was to better understand the innervation and roles of muscles that control the tail. METHODS: Adult rats received either: (1) ventral root injury; (2) caudales nerve injury; or (3) mapping of sacrococcygeal myotomes. Activation of small muscles within the tail itself (intrinsics) was compared with that of larger lumbosacral muscles acting on the tail (extrinsics). Behavioral testing of tail movement was done 1 week later. RESULTS:Rats that received ventral root injury exhibited multiple behavioral deficits, whereas rats with injury to caudales nerves maintained more fully preserved tail movement. Mapping studies revealed much broader overlap of myotomes for extrinsic muscles. CONCLUSIONS: Extrinsic tail muscles play a greater role in tail movement in the rat than their intrinsic counterparts and are innervated by multiple neurological segments. These findings have major implications for future research on cauda equina injury.
Authors: Samuel J Mackenzie; Juneyoung L Yi; Amit Singla; Thomas M Russell; Donna J Osterhout; Blair Calancie Journal: Muscle Nerve Date: 2017-08-13 Impact factor: 3.217
Authors: William R Reed; Jamie T Cranston; Stephen M Onifer; Joshua W Little; Randall S Sozio Journal: Exp Brain Res Date: 2017-07-07 Impact factor: 1.972