A model of spinal cord injury.
We report here a model of submaximal spinal cord injury, employing direct thoracic cord compression in ferrets. This yields consistent and reproducible long term consequences on local cellular structure and on locomotive function. We show also that both the anatomical and functional losses can be measured objectively using simple techniques, and that useful long-tract mediated locomotion is preserved after severe axonal losses at the site of injury.
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005289:Ferrets; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors