Research progress on muscle spindle morphology / 生理学报

Muscle spindle is the key proprioceptor in skeletal muscles and plays important roles in many physiological activities, such as maintaining posture, regulating movement and controlling speed variation. It has significant clinical relevance and is emerging as a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of motor functional impairment and metabolic diseases. In this review, we summarized muscle spindle distribution and the mechanism of mechanical signal transmission, and reviewed the research progress on morphological and structural characteristics of muscle spindles.

Evaluation of Residual Stepping Ability in Monkeys with Spinal Cord Injury / 中国康复理论与实践

Objective:To evaluate the residual stepping ability in monkeys with spinal cord injury longitudinally. Methods:Four adult female monkeys were studied. Right hemisection of 10 mm spinal cord tissue was performed at the T7-9 segment. Gait tests of bipedal locomotion were performed before, and six weeks and twelve weeks after injury by VICON system. Gait cycle duration, amplitude of knee and ankle angles, and ratio of united parameters were obtained from successive stepping and were quantitative analyzed. Results:The coordination of bilateral hindlimbs was destroyed after spinal cord injury, and the right hindlimb showed obviously dragging. The gait cycle duration of the left hindlimb increased significantly (P < 0.001), and the amplitudes of knee and ankle angle significantly increased (P < 0.001) after spinal cord injury. The ratio of united parameters was not statistically different among all the time points (P > 0.05). The gait cycle duration of the left hindlimb was correlated with step length (r = 0.838, P = 0.001), step height (r = 0.726, P = 0.007) and amplitude of ankle angle (r = 0.766, P = 0.004), and the amplitude of ankle angle was correlated with step length (r = 0.627, P = 0.029). Conclusion:The gait pattern of monkey with spinal cord injury has been changed. The gait strategy of the uninjured side was adjusted compensatively after spinal cord injury to adapt the functional impairment of contralateral hindlimb.

Impairment of Weight Support of Lower Limbs after Spinal Cord Hemisection in Rhesus Monkeys / 中国康复理论与实践

@#Objective To observe the influence of spinal cord injury on lower limbs weight support capacity,and the changes with time. Methods Six adult female rhesus monkeys with thoracic(T7-9)right spinal cord hemi-section were measured the plantar pressure ratio of both lower limbs with Foot-Scan system before,and six and twelve weeks after operation. Results There was no statistical difference between both sides of limbs before operation(Z=-1.330,P>0.05),while the plantar pressure ratio was more on the left limbs six and twelve weeks after operation(Z>4.783,P<0.001).The plantar pressure ratio of right lower limb became less and less during observation(Z=3.191,P<0.001). Conclusion The weight support capacity of affected limbs is injured after spinal cord hemi-section in monkeys, and would become worse without intervention.

Three-dimensional Hindlimb Gait Data Toolkit for Healthy and Spinal Cord Injured Rhesus Monkey / 中国康复理论与实践

@#Objective To establish a three- dimensional hindlimb gait data toolkit (THGT) for healthy and spinal cord injured (SCI) non-human primate (rhesus monkey) based on Matlab to realize upload of original data, automatic gait division, calculation and drawing of multiple gait parameters, etc. Methods Vicon system was used to collect three-dimensional hindlimb gait data of healthy and SCI (after 6 weeks) rhesus monkey to obtain the kinematics data of both hindlimbs in continuous strides. It was analyzed with THGT to process the gait division, calculation and drawing of multiple gait parameters. Results THGT read the data, distinguished cycles of gait, calculated 140 kinds of gait parameters and drew graphs of the results. Conclusion THGT extends the universality of the Vicon data, realizes automatically gait division and friendly interactive interface, and puts out the visible results.