Research reportEnhancement of brain plasticity and recovery of locomotive function after lumbar spinal cord stimulation in combination with gait training with partial weight support in rats with cerebral ischemia

- Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) was applied for the recovery of locomotion in brain ischemia.
- SCS promotes brain plasticity and functional recovery.
- SCS is a potential new treatment strategy for stroke patients.

Lumbar spinal cord stimulation (LSCS) is reportedly effective for the recovery of locomotive intraspinal neural network, motor cortex and basal ganglia in animals with complete spinal cord injury and parkinsonism. We evaluated the effect of LSCS in combination with gait training on the recovery of locomotive function and brain plasticity using a rat model of brain ischemia. Adult male Sprague Dawley rats with ischemia were randomly assigned into one of four groups: sham treatment (group 1), LSCS only (group 2), LSCS with gait training and 50% (group 3) and 80% (group 4) of body weight support. Evaluations before randomization and 4 weeks after intervention included motor scoring index, real-time PCR and Western blot. Motor scoring index was significantly improved after the intervention in groups 2 and 3. The ratio of phospho-protein kinase C (PKC) to PKC measured in the infarcted area tended to be higher in groups 3 and 4. Protein expression of mGluR2 and mRNA expression of mGluR1 measured in the contralateral cortex were lower in groups 3 and 4. The ratio of phospho-Akt to Akt and mRNA expression of vascular endothelial growth factor measured in the ischemic border zone were higher in group 2. The mRNA expression of MAP1b measured in the infarcted area was significantly higher in group 2. The findings suggest that LSCS and gait training with an adequate amount of body weight support may promote brain plasticity and facilitate the functional recovery.

The present study evaluates the effect of lumbar spinal cord stimulation in combination with gait training using a specific amount of body weight support on the recovery of locomotion in brain ischemia rat model and to reveal the underlying mechanism of functional recovery at the level of protein synthesis and gene expression. Our findings suggest lumbar spinal cord stimulation in combination with gait training with adequate amount of body weight support may promote brain plasticity and facilitate the functional recovery.133