Induction of hindlimb stepping movements in rats spinally transected as adults or as neonates.

Rats were spinally transected as adults or as neonates. When their hindlimbs were held off the ground and tail pinch was applied, both groups of animals exhibited a strong tendency to step with alternating limbs. The most striking difference between the groups was in the rate of stepping, the neonatal spinals being significantly faster than the adult spinals. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence that adult-transected rats retain a degree of locomotion-related coordination.