title: Short term efficacy of applied electric fields in the repair of the damaged rodent spinal cord: behavioral and morphological results.
abstract: The short term effects of electric fields applied exogenously to the contused rat spinal cord were studied in a blind experiment. A DC field using 3 microA was applied to the dorsal cord when the lesion was made, and rats were behaviorally tested weekly for up to 3 weeks on an inclined plane. The results show that the "cathode rostral" orientation group of animals performed statistically significantly better on the inclined plane than either the "anode rostral" or the "no current" group. Counts of axons in the dorsal funiculi rostral to the lesion in the "cathode rostral" group were statistically significantly greater than in other groups. The greater number of axons rostral to the lesion site coupled with the superior behavioral performance of the "cathode rostral" group suggest that this treatment may provide an environment suitable for axonal growth and can facilitate functional recovery in the damaged mammalian spinal cord.
authors.affiliation: Spinal Cord Research Laboratory, Shaugnessy Hospital Research Center, Vancouver, British Columbia.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Politis
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Zanakis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D051381:Rats; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors