Name: Author Spotlight: Using the MouseWalker to Quantify Locomotor Dysfunction in a Mouse Model of Spinal Cord Injury
Uploaded: 2023-03-24T14:50:00
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Forfatterne takker Laura Tucker og Natasa Loncarevic for deres kommentarer til manuskriptet og støtten fra gnaveranlægget ved Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes. Forfatterne ønsker at anerkende økonomisk støtte fra Prémios Santa Casa Neurociências - Prize Melo e Castro for forskning i rygmarvsskade (MC-36/2020) til L.S. og CSM. Dette arbejde blev støttet af Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) (PTDC/BIA-COM/0151/2020), iNOVA4Health (UIDB/04462/2020 og UIDP/04462/2020) og LS4FUTURE (LA/P/0087/2020) til C.S.M. L.S. blev støttet af en kontrakt med CEEC Individual Principal Investigator (2021.02253.CEECIND). A.F.I. blev støttet af et ph.d.-stipendium fra FCT (2020.08168.BD). AMM blev støttet af et ph.d.-stipendium fra FCT (PD / BD / 128445 / 2017). I.M. blev støttet af et postdoktoralt stipendium fra FCT (SFRH / BPD / 118051 / 2016). D.N.S. blev støttet af et ph.d.-stipendium fra FCT (SFRH / BD / 138636 / 2018).

Alle håndterings-, kirurgiske og postoperative plejeprocedurer blev godkendt af Instituto de Medicina Molecular Internal Committee (ORBEA) og den portugisiske dyreetiske komité (DGAV) i overensstemmelse med Det Europæiske Fællesskabs retningslinjer (direktiv 2010/63/EU) og den portugisiske lov om dyrepleje (DL 113/2013) under licens 0421/000/000/2022. Hunmus i alderen 9 uger blev anvendt til dette studie. Alle bestræbelser blev gjort for at minimere antallet af dyr og for at mindske lidelserne hos de dyr, der blev b...

Quantifying Locomotor Dysfunction in Spinal Cord Injury Mice Using MouseWalker

<ol>
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J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Characterization+of+progressive+motor+deficits+in+mice+transgenic+for+the+human+Huntington's+disease+mutation.">Characterization of progressive motor deficits in mice transgenic for the human Huntington's disease mutation.</a> The Journal of Neuroscience. 19 (8), 3248-3257 (1999).</li><li>Leblond, H., L'esp&#233;rance, M., Orsal, D., Rossignol, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Behavioral/systems/cognitive+treadmill+locomotion+in+the+intact+and+spinal+mouse.">Behavioral/systems/cognitive treadmill locomotion in the intact and spinal mouse.</a> The Journal of Neuroscience. 23 (36), 11411-11419 (2003).</li><li>Courtine, G., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Recovery+of+supraspinal+control+of+stepping+via+indirect+propriospinal+relay+connections+after+spinal+cord+injury.">Recovery of supraspinal control of stepping via indirect propriospinal relay connections after spinal cord injury.</a> Nature Medicine. 14 (1), 69-74 (2008).</li><li>Hamers, F. P. T., Koopmans, G. C., Joosten, E. A. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=CatWalk-assisted+gait+analysis+in+the+assessment+of+spinal+cord+injury.">CatWalk-assisted gait analysis in the assessment of spinal cord injury.</a> Journal of Neurotrauma. 23 (3-4), 537-548 (2006).</li><li>Mendes, C. 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L., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Applying+the+ratwalker+system+for+gait+analysis+in+a+genetic+rat+model+of+Parkinson's+disease.">Applying the ratwalker system for gait analysis in a genetic rat model of Parkinson's disease.</a> Journal of Visualized Experiments. (167), e62002 (2021).</li><li>Mendes, C. S., Rajendren, S. V., Bartos, I., M&#225;rka, S., Mann, R. 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Her demonstreres potentialet i MouseWalker-metoden ved at analysere bevægelsesadfærd efter SCI. Det giver ny indsigt i specifikke ændringer i trin-, fodaftryks- og gangmønstre, som ellers ville blive overset af andre standardtests. Ud over at levere en opdateret version af MW-pakken beskrives dataanalyseværktøjer også ved hjælp af de medfølgende Python-scripts (se trin 5).
Da MW genererer et stort datasæt og en samling kinematiske parametre, der afspejler en meget dimensionel lokomot...

Den effektive koordinering af fire lemmer er ikke unik for firbenede dyr. Forben-bagben-koordination hos mennesker er fortsat vigtig for at udføre flere opgaver, såsom svømning og ændringer i hastighed, mens de går1. Forskellige lemmerkinematiske2 og motoriske program 1,3,4 samt proprioceptive feedbackkredsløb5 bevares mellem mennesker og andre pattedyr og bør overvejes ved analyse af terapeutiske muligheder for motoriske lidelser, såsom rygmarvsskade (SCI)6,7,8.
For at kunne gå skal flere rygforbindelser fra forbenene og bagbenene være korrekt forbundet og rytmisk aktiveret, hvilket kræver input fra hjernen og feedback fra det somatosensoriske system 2,9,10. Disse forbindelser kulminerer i de centrale mønstergeneratorer (CPG'er), som er placeret på cervikal- og lændeniveau for henholdsvisforben og bagben 1,9,10. Ofte, efter SCI, begrænser forstyrrelsen af neuronal forbindelse og dannelsen af et hæmmende glialar12 genopretningen af lokomotorisk funktion, med resultater, der varierer fra total lammelse til begrænset funktion af en gruppe lemmer afhængigt af skadens sværhedsgrad. Værktøjer til præcis kvantificering af bevægelsesfunktionen efter SCI er afgørende for overvågning af helbredelse og evaluering af virkningerne af behandlinger eller andre kliniske indgreb6.
Standardmetrisk analyse for musekontusionsmodeller af SCI er Basso-museskalaen (BMS)13,14, en ikke-parametrisk score, der tager højde for trunkstabilitet, haleposition, plantartrin og koordination mellem forben og bagben i en arena med åbent felt. Selvom BMS er ekstremt pålidelig i de fleste tilfælde, kræver det mindst to erfarne raters at observere alle vinkler af dyrebevægelser for at tage højde for naturlig variabilitet og reducere bias.
Andre assays er også blevet udviklet til kvantitativ vurdering af motorens ydeevne efter SCI. Disse omfatter rotarod-testen, som måler tid brugt på en roterende cylinder15; den vandrette stige, der måler antallet af ubesvarede rækværk og positive stigegreb16,17; og strålegangstesten, som måler den tid, et dyr tager, og antallet af fejl, det laver, når det krydser en smal stråle18. På trods af at de afspejler en kombination af motoriske underskud, producerer ingen af disse tests direkte lokomotorisk information om koordination mellem forben og bagben.
For specifikt og mere grundigt at analysere gangadfærd er der udviklet andre assays til at rekonstruere trincyklusser og gangstrategier. Et eksempel er fodaftrykstesten, hvor et dyrs sværtede poter tegner et mønster over et ark hvidt papir19. Selvom det er enkelt i udførelsen, er det besværligt og unøjagtigt at udtrække kinematiske parametre som skridtlængde. Desuden begrænser manglen på dynamiske parametre, såsom varigheden af trincyklussen eller lovgivningsmæssig koordinering, dens anvendelser; Faktisk kan disse dynamiske parametre kun erhverves ved at analysere ramme-for-ramme-videoer af gnavere, der går gennem en gennemsigtig overflade. Til SCI-undersøgelser har forskere analyseret gangadfærd fra et lateralt billede ved hjælp af et løbebånd, herunder rekonstruktion af trincyklussen og måling af vinkelvariationerne i hvert benled 4,20,21. Selvom denne tilgang kan være yderst informativ6, forbliver den fokuseret på et specifikt sæt lemmer og mangler yderligere gangfunktioner, såsom koordinering.
For at udfylde disse huller udviklede Hamers og kolleger en kvantitativ test baseret på en optisk berøringssensor ved hjælp af frustreret total intern refleksion (fTIR)22. I denne metode formerer lys sig gennem glas via intern refleksion, bliver spredt ved potetryk og fanges til sidst af et højhastighedskamera. For nylig blev en open source-version af denne metode, kaldet MouseWalker, gjort tilgængelig, og denne tilgang kombinerer en fTIR-gangbro med en sporings- og kvantificeringssoftwarepakke23. Ved hjælp af denne metode kan brugeren udtrække et stort sæt kvantitative parametre, herunder trin-, rum- og gangmønstre, fodaftrykspositionering og koordination mellem forben og bagben samt visuelle output, såsom fodaftryksmønstre (efterligner den sværtede poteanalyse6) eller holdningsfaser i forhold til kropsaksen. Det er vigtigt, at nye parametre på grund af dets open source-karakter kan ekstraheres ved at opdatere MATLAB-scriptpakken.
Her opdateres den tidligere offentliggjorte samling af MouseWalker23-systemet . Der gives en beskrivelse af, hvordan du konfigurerer det, med alle de trin, der kræves for at opnå den bedste videokvalitet, sporingsbetingelser og parameteroptagelse. Yderligere efterkvantificeringsværktøjer deles også for at forbedre analysen af MouseWalker (MW) outputdatasættet. Endelig demonstreres nytten af dette værktøj ved at opnå kvantificerbare værdier for generel lokomotorisk ydeevne, specifikt trincyklusser og koordination mellem forben og bagben, i en rygmarvsskade (SCI) sammenhæng.

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			<td>45&#186; Mirror&#160;</td>
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			<td>2 aluminum extrusion (2 x 2 cm), 16 cm height, 1 on each side</td>
			<td>Misumi</td>
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			<td>2 aluminum extrusion (2 x 2 cm), 23 cm, @ 45&#176; , 1 on each side</td>
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			<td>1 aluminum extrusion (2 x 2 cm), 83 cm long</td>
			<td>Misumi</td>
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			<td>87 x 23 cm mirror</td>
			<td>General glass supplier&#160;</td>
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			<td>black cardboard filler&#160;</td>
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			<td>We used 2, one with 69 x 6 cm and another with 69 x 3cm to limit the reflection on the mirror</td>
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			<td>Background backlight</td>
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			<td>109 x 23 cm plexiglass (0.9525 cm thick)</td>
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			<td>2 lateral aluminum extrusion (4 x 4 cm), 20 cm long, 1 on each side</td>
			<td>Misumi</td>
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			<td>multicolor LED strip</td>
			<td>General hardware supplier</td>
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			<td>white opaque paper to cover the plexyglass</td>
			<td>General stationery supplier</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>fTIR Support base and posts</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2 aluminum extrusion (4 x 4 cm), 100 cm height</td>
			<td>Misumi</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>60 x 30 cm metric breadboard</td>
			<td>Edmund Optics&#160;</td>
			<td>#54-641</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>M6 12 mm screws</td>
			<td>Edmund Optics&#160;</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>M6 hex nuts and wahers</td>
			<td>Edmund Optics&#160;</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>fTIR Walkway&#160;</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>109 x 8.5 cm plexyglass (1.2 cm thick)</td>
			<td>General hardware supplier</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>109 x 8.5 cm plexyglass (1.2 cm thick)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>109 cm long Base-U-channel aluminum with 1.6 cm height x 1.9 cm depth thick folds (to hold the plexyglass)</td>
			<td>General hardware supplier</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2 lateral aluminum extrusion (4 x 4 cm) 20 cm length, 1 on each side</td>
			<td>Misumi</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>black cardboard filler&#160;</td>
			<td>General stationery supplier</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>we used 2 fillers on each side to cover the limits of the plexyglass, avoiding bright edges</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>12 mm screws</td>
			<td>Edmund Optics&#160;</td>
			<td>M6</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>High speed camera (on a tripod)</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Blackfly S USB3</td>
			<td>Blackfly</td>
			<td>USB3</td>
			<td>This is a reccomendation. The requirement is to record at least 100 frames per second</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Infinite Horizon Impactor&#160;</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Infinite Horizon Impactor&#160;</td>
			<td>Precision Systems and Instrumentation, LLC.</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Lens</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Nikkon AF Zoom-Nikkor 24-85mm</td>
			<td>Nikkon&#160;</td>
			<td>2.8-4D IF</td>
			<td>This lens is reccomended, however other lens can be used. Make sure it contains a large aperture (i.e., smaller F-stop values), to capture fTIR signals</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Software</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>MATLAB R2022b</td>
			<td>MathWorks</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Python 3.9.13&#160;</td>
			<td>Python Software Foundation</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Anaconda Navigator 2.1.4</td>
			<td>Anaconda, Inc.</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Spyder 5.1.5&#160;</td>
			<td>Spyder Project Contributors</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Walkway wall&#160;</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2 large rectagular acrilics with 100 x 15 cm</td>
			<td>Any bricolage convenience store</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2 Trapezian acrilic laterals with 6-10 length x 15 cm height</td>
			<td>Any bricolage convenience store</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>GitHub Materials</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Folder name</td>
			<td>URL</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Boxplots</td>
			<td>https://github.com/NeurogeneLocomotion/MouseWalker/tree/main/Boxplots</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Script to create Boxplots</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Docs</td>
			<td>https://github.com/NeurogeneLocomotion/MouseWalker/tree/main/Docs</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Additional documents</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Heatmap</td>
			<td>https://github.com/NeurogeneLocomotion/MouseWalker/tree/main/Heatmaps</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Script to create heatmap</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Matlat script</td>
			<td>https://github.com/NeurogeneLocomotion/MouseWalker/tree/main/Matlab%20Script</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>MouseWalker matlab script</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>PCA</td>
			<td>https://github.com/NeurogeneLocomotion/MouseWalker/tree/main/PCA%20plots</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Script to perform Principal Component Analysis</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Raw data Plots</td>
			<td>https://github.com/NeurogeneLocomotion/MouseWalker/tree/main/Rawdata%20Plots</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Script to create Raw data plots</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Residual Analysis</td>
			<td>https://github.com/NeurogeneLocomotion/MouseWalker/tree/main/Residual_Analysis</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Code to compute residuals from Raw data</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

using the mousewalker to quantify locomotor dysfunction in a mouse model of spinal cord injury

Udførelsen af komplekse og stærkt koordinerede motorprogrammer, såsom gang og løb, er afhængig af den rytmiske aktivering af spinal og supra-spinal kredsløb. Efter en thorax rygmarvsskade er kommunikationen med opstrøms kredsløb nedsat. Dette fører igen til tab af koordination med begrænset genopretningspotentiale. For bedre at evaluere graden af genopretning efter administration af lægemidler eller terapier er der derfor behov for nye, mere detaljerede og nøjagtige værktøjer til at kvantificere gang, lemmerkoordination og andre fine aspekter af lokomotorisk adfærd i dyremodeller af rygmarvsskade. Flere analyser er blevet udviklet gennem årene for kvantitativt at vurdere frigående adfærd hos gnavere; De mangler dog normalt direkte målinger relateret til tringangstrategier, fodaftryksmønstre og koordinering. For at afhjælpe disse mangler leveres en opdateret version af MouseWalker, som kombinerer en frustreret total intern refleksion (fTIR) gangbro med sporings- og kvantificeringssoftware. Dette open source-system er blevet tilpasset til at udtrække flere grafiske output og kinematiske parametre, og et sæt efterkvantificeringsværktøjer kan være at analysere de leverede outputdata. Dette manuskript viser også, hvordan denne metode, allieret med allerede etablerede adfærdstests, kvantitativt beskriver lokomotoriske underskud efter rygmarvsskade.

The effective coordination of four limbs is not unique to quadruped animals. Forelimb-hindlimb coordination in humans remains important to accomplish several tasks, such as swimming and alterations of speed while walking1. Various limb kinematic2 and motor program1,3,4, as well as proprioceptive feedback circuits5, are conserved between humans and other mammals&#160;and should be considered when analyzing therapeutic options for motor disorders, such as spinal cord injury (SCI)6,7,8.
In order to walk, several spinal connections from the forelimbs and hindlimbs need to be properly wired and rhythmically activated, which requires inputs from the brain and feedback from the somatosensory system2,9,10. These connections culminate in the central pattern generators (CPGs), which are situated at a cervical and lumbar level for the forelimbs and hindlimbs, respectively1,9,10. Often, after SCI, the disruption of neuronal connectivity and the formation of an inhibitory glial scar12 limit the recovery of locomotor function, with outcomes varying from total paralysis to restricted function of a group of limbs depending on the injury severity. Tools to precisely quantify locomotor function after SCI are critical for monitoring recovery and evaluating the effects of treatments or other clinical interventions6.
The standard metric assay for mouse contusion models of SCI is the Basso mouse scale (BMS)13,14, a non-parametric score that considers trunk stability, tail position, plantar stepping, and forelimb-hindlimb coordination in an open field arena. Even though the BMS is extremely reliable for most cases, it requires at least two experienced raters to observe all the angles of animal movement in order to account for natural variability and reduce bias.
Other assays have also been developed to assess motor performance after SCI quantitatively. These include the rotarod test, which measures time spent on a rotating cylinder15; the horizontal ladder, which measures the number of missed railings and positive ladder grabs16,17; and the beam walking test, which measures the time an animal takes and the number of failures it makes when crossing a narrow beam18. Despite reflecting a combination of motor deficits, none of these tests produce direct locomotor information about forelimb-hindlimb coordination.
To specifically and more thoroughly analyze walking behavior, other assays have been developed to reconstruct step cycles and gaiting strategies. One example is the footprint test, where the inked paws of an animal draw a pattern over a sheet of white paper19. Although simple in its execution, extracting kinematic parameters such as stride length is cumbersome and inaccurate. Moreover, the lack of dynamic parameters, such as the duration of the step cycle or leg-timed coordination, limits its applications; indeed, these dynamic parameters can only be acquired by analyzing frame-by-frame videos of rodents walking through a transparent surface. For SCI studies, researchers have analyzed walking behavior from a lateral view using a treadmill, including reconstructing the step cycle and measuring the angular variations of each leg joint4,20,21. Even though this approach can be extremely informative6, it remains focused on a specific set of limbs and lacks additional gait features, such as coordination.
To fill these gaps, Hamers and colleagues developed a quantitative test based on an optical touch sensor using frustrated total internal reflection (fTIR)22. In this method, light propagates through glass via internal reflection, becomes scattered upon paw pressing, and, finally, is captured by a high-speed camera. More recently, an open-source version of this method, called MouseWalker, was made available, and this approach combines an fTIR walkway with a tracking and quantification software package23. Using this method, the user can extract a large set of quantitative parameters, including step, spatial, and gait patterns, footprint positioning, and forelimb-hindlimb coordination, as well as visual outputs, such as footprint patterns (mimicking the inked paw assay6) or stance phases relative to the body axis. Importantly, due to its open-source nature, new parameters can be extracted by updating the MATLAB script package.
Here, the previously published assembly of the MouseWalker23 system is updated. A description of how to set it up is provided, with all the steps required to achieve the best video quality, tracking conditions, and parameter acquisition. Additional post-quantification tools are also shared to enhance the analysis of the MouseWalker (MW) output dataset. Finally, the usefulness of this tool is demonstrated by obtaining quantifiable values for general locomotor performance, specifically step cycles and forelimb-hindlimb coordination, in a spinal cord injury (SCI) context.

Author Spotlight: Using the MouseWalker to Quantify Locomotor Dysfunction in a Mouse Model of Spinal Cord Injury  

Brug af MouseWalker til at kvantificere lokomotorisk dysfunktion i en musemodel af rygmarvsskade

In this study, we use a mouse model of spinal cord injury to uncover ways of promoting repair of the spinal cord that could lead to effective locomotor and functional sensory recovery. With a mouse walker, we can move a step forward into a more quantitative analysis of spinal cord recovery by combining several graphical outputs and kinematic parameters with a set of post-quantification tools. High quality video cameras and sophisticated software packages allow a more direct and quantitative description of motor activity.The mouse walker is a good example of this. Currently two main challenges exist. First, the ability of laboratories to implement these technologies in their experimental pipeline.And second, to reduce the time and steps from video recordings to data generation. We realized that standard protocols were insufficient to describe all locomotive deficits we see after spinal cord injury. We also found that the mouse walker helped us measure coordination, one of the hardest parameters to assess in standard tests.Here, not only is the software free and open source, but the hardware is also easy to assemble with uncomplicated materials. We also provide open source tools to analyze the mouse walker data. The mouse walker is a valuable method for studying other motor related or motor dysfunctions, not just spinal cord injury.It can also be used in combination with already established behavior protocols.

Standard-BMS-systemet beskriver bruttomotorunderskuddene efter SCI14. På grund af dets subjektive karakter udføres andre kvantitative assays generelt sammen med BMS for at producere en mere detaljeret og fin vurdering af bevægelse. Disse tests viser imidlertid ikke specifikke oplysninger om trincyklusser, trinmønstre og koordination mellem forben og bagben, hvilket er ekstremt vigtigt for at forstå, hvordan rygsøjlekredsløbet opretholder funktion og tilpasser sig en ufuldstændig SCI. Dette...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Using the MouseWalker to Quantify Locomotor Dysfunction in a Mouse Model of Spinal Cord Injury at JoVE.com

En eksperimentel pipeline til kvantitativt at beskrive det bevægelige mønster af frit gående mus ved hjælp af MouseWalker (MW) værktøjskassen leveres, lige fra indledende videooptagelser og sporing til efterkvantificeringsanalyse. En rygmarvskontusionsskademodel i mus anvendes til at demonstrere nytten af MW-systemet.

The execution of complex and highly coordinated motor programs, such as walking and running, is dependent on the rhythmic activation of spinal and ...

I denne undersøgelse bruger vi en musemodel af rygmarvsskade til at afdække måder at fremme reparation af rygmarven, der kan føre til effektiv lokomotorisk og funktionel sensorisk genopretning. Med en musevandrer kan vi bevæge os et skridt fremad i en mere kvantitativ analyse af rygmarvsgendannelse ved at kombinere flere grafiske output og kinematiske parametre med et sæt efterkvantificeringsværktøjer. Videokameraer af høj kvalitet og sofistikerede softwarepakker giver mulighed for en mere direkte og kvantitativ beskrivelse af motoraktivitet.Musevandreren er et godt eksempel på dette. I øjeblikket er der to hovedudfordringer. For det første laboratoriernes evne til at implementere disse teknologier i deres eksperimentelle pipeline.Og for det andet at reducere tiden og trinene fra videooptagelser til datagenerering. Vi indså, at standardprotokoller var utilstrækkelige til at beskrive alle lokomotivunderskud, vi ser efter rygmarvsskade. Vi fandt også ud af, at musevandreren hjalp os med at måle koordination, en af de sværeste parametre at vurdere i standardtests.Her er softwaren ikke kun gratis og open source, men hardwaren er også let at samle med ukomplicerede materialer. Vi leverer også open source-værktøjer til at analysere musevandrerdataene. Mouse walker er en værdifuld metode til at studere andre motorrelaterede eller motoriske dysfunktioner, ikke kun rygmarvsskade.Det kan også bruges i kombination med allerede etablerede adfærdsprotokoller.