Forelimb Locomotor Assessment Scale (FLAS): Novel Assessment of Forelimb Dysfunction After Cervical Spinal Cord Injury

Exp Neurol, 2009 · DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2009.08.020 · Published: November 1, 2009

Spinal Cord Injury Mental Health Rehabilitation

Simple Explanation

The study introduces a new way to measure how well rats use their front legs after a spinal cord injury in their neck. This new method, called the Forelimb Locomotor Assessment Scale (FLAS), looks at different movements and positions of the front legs to give a score. The FLAS aims to be a simple, reliable, and affordable tool for assessing forelimb function across different research labs.

Study Duration

8 weeks

Participants

24 rats with cervical spinal cord lesion surgery and 4 sham surgery rats

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Recovery of shoulder and elbow joint movement occurred rapidly within 1–7 days post-injury, whereas recovery of wrist joint movement was slower and more variable.
2
Most rats displayed persistent deficits in forepaw and digit movement, but developed compensatory behaviors to allow functional forward locomotion within 1–2 weeks post-injury.
3
The FLAS is a simple, inexpensive, sensitive, and reliable measure of forelimb function during locomotion following cervical SCI.

Research Summary

The Forelimb Locomotor Assessment Scale (FLAS) is introduced to assess forelimb use during locomotion in rats with cervical spinal cord injuries, focusing on movements, coordination, and compensatory behaviors. The study found that rats with mild contusions showed greater locomotor recovery than those with moderate contusions, but all exhibited persistent deficits compared to controls. The FLAS demonstrated high inter-rater reliability, making it a reliable and sensitive tool for evaluating forelimb function after cervical SCI.

Practical Implications

Standardized Assessment

The FLAS provides a standardized method for evaluating forelimb function in rat models of cervical SCI, facilitating comparisons across different studies and laboratories.

Therapeutic Evaluation

The FLAS can be used to assess the efficacy of therapeutic interventions aimed at improving forelimb function following cervical SCI.

Understanding Recovery Mechanisms

By tracking the recovery process using the FLAS, researchers can gain insights into the mechanisms underlying functional restoration after cervical SCI.

Study Limitations

1
The FLAS was developed for rats and may not be directly applicable to mice due to differences in locomotion speed and recovery patterns.
2
The study acknowledges that more extensive studies are needed to validate the FLAS across additional injury levels and to analyze the relationship between spared motoneuron pools and FLAS scores.
3
The scale is not very sensitive in the range of 15–30 (i.e. the point range representing the transition) and may require testing at more frequent intervals (daily) during the time at which transitions may be expected.

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