Congenital exercise ability ameliorates muscle atrophy but not spinal cord recovery in spinal cord injury mouse model

Int. J. Med. Sci., 2019 · DOI: 10.7150/ijms.37442 · Published: October 21, 2019

Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Musculoskeletal Medicine

Simple Explanation

Spinal cord injury (SCI) can cause loss of mobility in the limbs, and there is currently no complete cure available through drugs, surgery or rehabilitation. This study investigates whether congenital exercise ability is related to the recovery of spinal cord injury using high congenital exercise ability (HE) and low congenital exercise ability (LE) mice. The HE group showed better mobility in gait analysis and longer endurance times in swimming tests compared to the LE group after SCI. The HE group also exhibited less muscle atrophy and no inflammatory cells appeared after SCI. The study concludes that high congenital exercise ability may reduce the rate of muscle atrophy after spinal cord injury. This finding could be relevant for preventive medicine research in sports and rehabilitation science.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

Male outbred ICR mice

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
High congenital exercise ability (HE) mice exhibited better mobility in gait analysis and longer endurance times in the exhaustive swimming test compared to low congenital exercise ability (LE) mice after spinal cord injury (SCI).
2
HE group exhibited less muscle atrophy than the LE group after SCI, as evidenced by histopathological changes observed through H&E and Masson Trichrome staining.
3
No significant differences were found between the HE and LE groups in the recovery of the spinal cord itself, as indicated by histological and immunohistochemistry staining.

Research Summary

This study investigates the effects of congenital exercise ability on spinal cord and muscle recovery after spinal cord injury (SCI) in mice artificially bred for high (HE) and low (LE) exercise capacity. The HE group demonstrated better mobility and endurance, as well as reduced muscle atrophy, compared to the LE group after SCI. The findings suggest that high congenital exercise ability may ameliorate muscle atrophy but does not significantly impact spinal cord recovery.

Practical Implications

Preventive Medicine Research

The study provides a reference for preventive medicine research in sports and rehabilitation science by highlighting the potential benefits of high congenital exercise ability in mitigating muscle atrophy after SCI.

Rehabilitation Strategies

The findings may inform the development of targeted rehabilitation strategies aimed at preserving muscle mass in individuals with SCI, potentially improving functional outcomes.

Understanding Congenital Features

This study contributes to understanding the interference of congenital features, specifically exercise ability, in the context of spinal cord injury and muscle pathology.

Study Limitations

1
The study was conducted on mice, and the results may not be directly applicable to humans.
2
The study did not investigate the specific mechanisms by which congenital exercise ability influences muscle atrophy after SCI.
3
Further research is needed to determine the long-term effects of congenital exercise ability on spinal cord and muscle recovery after SCI.

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