HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 96/6/3273    most recent 00203.2006v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (13) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Barthélemy, D. Articles by Rossignol, S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Barthélemy, D. Articles by Rossignol, S.

Nonlocomotor and Locomotor Hindlimb Responses Evoked by Electrical Microstimulation of the Lumbar Cord in Spinalized Cats

Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central, Département de Physiologie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Submitted 25 February 2006; accepted in final form 9 August 2006

As a preliminary step to using intraspinal microstimulation (ISMS) for rehabilitation purposes, the distribution of various types of hindlimb responses evoked by ISMS in spinal cats (T₁₃) is described. The responses to ISMS applied through a single electrode was assessed, before and after an intravenous injection of clonidine (noradrenergic agonist), using kinematics and electromyographic recordings in subacute (5–7 days, untrained) or chronic (3–5 wk trained on a treadmill) spinal cats. ISMS was applied in the dorsal, intermediate and ventral areas of segments L₃–L₇, from midline to 3 mm laterally. Uni- and bilateral non-locomotor responses as well as rhythmical locomotor responses were evoked. In the subacute cats, ipsilateral flexion was elicited in the dorsal region of L₃–L₇, whereas ipsilateral extension was evoked more ventrally and mainly in the caudal segments. Dorsal stimuli could induce ipsilateral flexion followed by ipsilateral extension. Sites inducing bilateral flexion and bilateral extension were similarly distributed to those evoking ipsilateral flexion and extension in the rostrocaudal axis but were evoked from more medial sites. Ipsilateral flexion with crossed extension was evoked from intermediate and ventral zones of all segments and lateralities. Unilateral ipsilateral locomotion was rarely observed. Contralateral locomotion was more frequent and mainly evoked medially, whereas bilateral locomotion was evoked exclusively from dorsal regions. With some exceptions, those distribution gradients were similar in the four conditions (subacute, chronic, pre- and postclonidine), but the proportion of each response could vary. The distribution of ISMS-evoked responses is discussed as a function of known localization of interneurons and motoneurons.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. Rossignol, G. Barriere, O. Alluin, and A. Frigon Re-expression of Locomotor Function After Partial Spinal Cord Injury Physiology, April 1, 2009; 24(2): 127 - 139. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				V. S. Boyce and M. A. Lemay Modularity of Endpoint Force Patterns Evoked Using Intraspinal Microstimulation in Treadmill Trained and/or Neurotrophin-Treated Chronic Spinal Cats J Neurophysiol, March 1, 2009; 101(3): 1309 - 1320. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Barthelemy, H. Leblond, and S. Rossignol Characteristics and Mechanisms of Locomotion Induced by Intraspinal Microstimulation and Dorsal Root Stimulation in Spinal Cats J Neurophysiol, March 1, 2007; 97(3): 1986 - 2000. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]