Motor Skills Training Improves Sensorimotor Dysfunction and Increases Microtubule-Associated Protein 2 mRNA Expression in Rats with Intracerebral Hemorrhage.
BACKGROUND
In this study, we examined the effects of motor skills training on the sensorimotor function and the expression of genes associated with synaptic plasticity after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in rats.


METHODS
Male Wistar rats were subjected to ICH or sham operation. ICH was caused by the injection of collagenase into the left striatum. Rats were randomly assigned to no training, acrobatic training, and sham groups. The acrobatic group performed 5 types of acrobatic tasks from 4 to 28 days after surgery. The forelimb sensorimotor function was evaluated over time using forepaw grasping, forelimb placing, and postural instability tests. At 14 and 29 days after the lesion, we analyzed the mRNA expression levels of microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2), brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and growth-associated protein 43 in the bilateral sensorimotor cortex (forelimb area) by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.


RESULTS
Motor skills training in ICH rats improved the sensorimotor dysfunction significantly from the early phase. The mRNA expression level of MAP2 was upregulated in the ipsilesional sensorimotor cortex by motor skills training at 29 days after the lesion.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that sensorimotor functional recovery following motor skills training after ICH is promoted by dendritic growth in the ipsilesional sensorimotor cortex.
Department of Physical Therapy, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Niigata, Japan; Department of Physical Therapy, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan. Electronic address: tamakoshi@nuhw.ac.jp.
Keigo
K
Tamakoshi
Department of Health and Nutrition, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Niigata, Japan; Department of Sports Science, Fukuoka University, Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Japan.
Kentaro
K
Kawanaka
Department of Physical Therapy, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Niigata, Japan.
Hideaki
H
Onishi
Department of Physical Therapy, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.
Yasuyuki
Y
Takamatsu
Department of Physical Therapy, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.
Kazuto
K
Ishida
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D007839:Functional Laterality; D019922:GAP-43 Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D053580:Muscle Strength; D004856:Postural Balance; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D066191:Sensorimotor Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D019922:GAP-43 Protein; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger
Intracerebral hemorrhage rat; microtubule-associated protein 2; motor skills training; plasticity