title: Effects of nimodipine on two neurologic measures sensitive to sensorimotor cortex damage.
abstract: Seventeen rats with lesions involving the sensorimotor forepaw and hindpaw regions were tested for the ability to run along a narrow bridge without slipping and to hold on to a small-diameter dowel suspended above the ground. Nine of the animals received the calcium channel blocker, nimodipine, once per day for the first 2 weeks after surgery, while the remaining eight rats received vehicle alone. Repeated measurements over the first 3 postoperative weeks showed deficits among the rats with lesions on both tasks. The animals treated with nimodipine, however, showed much better recovery, especially after the initial testing sessions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63130.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Finger
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Simons
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009553:Nimodipine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D009553:Nimodipine