title: Combined effects of acrobatic exercise and magnetic stimulation on the functional recovery after spinal cord lesions.
abstract: The objective of the study was to determine whether physical exercise combined with epidural spinal cord magnetic stimulation could improve recovery after injury of the spinal cord. Spinal cord lesioning in mice resulted in reduced locomotor function and negatively affected the muscle strength tested in vitro. Acrobatic exercise attenuated the behavioral effects of spinal cord injury. The exposure to magnetic fields facilitated further this improvement. The progress in behavioral recovery was correlated with reduced muscle degeneration and enhanced muscle contraction. The acrobatic exercise combined with stimulation with magnetic fields significantly facilitates behavioral recovery and muscle physiology in mice following spinal cord injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, and CSI/IBR Center for Developmental Neuroscience, The College of Staten Island/CUNY, Staten Island, New York 10314, USA. ahmedz@mail.csi.cuny.edu
authors.forename: Zaghloul
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wieraszko
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D055909:Magnetic Field Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D009133:Muscular Atrophy / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D010243:Paralysis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000379:methods*; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*