title: New approach for graded compression spinal cord injuries in Rhesus macaque: method feasibility and preliminary observations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Current models of spinal cord injury (SCI) have been ineffective for translational research. Primate blunt SCI, which more closely resembles human injury, could be a promising model to fill this gap.
  
  
  METHODS
  Graded compression SCI was produced by inflating at T9 an epidural balloon as a function of spinal canal dimensions in a non-uniform group of monkeys.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sham injury and cord compression by canal invasion of 50-75% produced minimal morpho-functional alterations, if at all. Canal invasion of 90-100% resulted in proportional functional deficits. Unexpectedly, these animals showed spontaneous gradual recovery over a 12-week period achieving quadruped walking, although with persistent absence of foot grasping reflex. Histopathology revealed predominance of central cord damage that correlated with functional status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our preliminary results suggest that this model could potentially be a useful addition to translational work, but requires further validation by including animals with permanent injuries and expansion of replicates.
authors: Research Unit for Neurological Diseases, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City, Mexico. guizarg@gmail.com
authors: Gabriel
authors: G
authors: Guízar-Sahagún
authors: Israel
authors: I
authors: Grijalva
authors: Braulio
authors: B
authors: Hernández-Godínez
authors: Rebecca E
authors: RE
authors: Franco-Bourland
authors: Leticia
authors: L
authors: Cruz-Antonio
authors: Angelina
authors: A
authors: Martínez-Cruz
authors: Alejandra
authors: A
authors: Ibáñez-Contreras
authors: Ignacio
authors: I
authors: Madrazo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008124:Locomotion; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008297:Male; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012018:Reflex; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000601:surgery*; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013522:Surgery, Veterinary / Q000379:methods*; D016138:Walking