On the use of the grasping test in the rat median nerve model: a re-appraisal of its efficacy for quantitative assessment of motor function recovery

Papalia, I.; Tos, Pierluigi; d’Alcontres, Francesco Stagno; Battiston, Bruno; Geuna, Stefano

doi:10.1016/s0165-0270(03)00098-0

Cited by 87 publications

(109 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…Instead of measuring the grip force of unilateral treated rats (Papalia et al., 2003), our approach (i) reduced stress to the animals eventually induced by means of paw fixation of the uninjured side during the testing procedure (Bertelli & Mira, 1995; Wang, Spinner, et al., 2008) and (ii) minimized animal numbers by avoiding only unilateral treatment following still bilateral injury (Papalia et al., 2003; Sinis et al., 2005). Furthermore, it was less time consuming compared to formerly reported forelimb motion video analysis (Wang, Spinner, et al., 2008).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A Grip Strength Test Meter (IITC Life Science Inc., USA) with an enhanced grasping frame (Papalia, Tos, Stagno d'Alcontres, Battiston, & Geuna, 2003) was used (Figure 1a). A Canon EOS‐1D Mark IV camera (Canon Deutschland GmbH, Germany) was mounted on a tripod to record the grasping abilities of each single paw of individual animals (Figure 1b–d).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Reflex‐based grasping, skilled forelimb reaching, and electrodiagnostic evaluation for comprehensive analysis of functional recovery—The 7‐mm rat median nerve gap repair model revisited

2017

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IntroductionThe rat median nerve injury and repair model gets increasingly important for research on novel bioartificial nerve grafts. It allows follow‐up evaluation of the recovery of the forepaw functional ability with several sensitive techniques. The reflex‐based grasping test, the skilled forelimb reaching staircase test, as well as electrodiagnostic recordings have been described useful in this context. Currently, no standard values exist, however, for comparison or comprehensive correlation of results obtained in each of the three methods after nerve gap repair in adult rats.MethodsHere, we bilaterally reconstructed 7‐mm median nerve gaps with autologous nerve grafts (ANG) or autologous muscle‐in‐vein grafts (MVG), respectively. During 8 and 12 weeks of observation, functional recovery of each paw was separately monitored using the grasping test (weekly), the staircase test, and noninvasive electrophysiological recordings from the thenar muscles (both every 4 weeks). Evaluation was completed by histomorphometrical analyses at 8 and 12 weeks postsurgery.ResultsThe comprehensive evaluation detected a significant difference in the recovery of forepaw functional motor ability between the ANG and MVG groups. The correlation between the different functional tests evaluated precisely displayed the recovery of distinct levels of forepaw functional ability over time.ConclusionThus, this multimodal evaluation model represents a valuable preclinical model for peripheral nerve reconstruction approaches.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reflex‐based grasping, skilled forelimb reaching, and electrodiagnostic evaluation for comprehensive analysis of functional recovery—The 7‐mm rat median nerve gap repair model revisited

2017

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“…However, recently, experimental models based on the use of other nerves have been proposed, especially the median nerve because of the availability of a simple and reliable behavioral test, the grasping test (Lutz et al, 2000;Bontioti et al, 2003;Papalia et al, 2003;Galtrey and Fawcett, 2007;Sinis et al, 2006;Wang et al, 2008). In fact,…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…-17 -after the lesion of the median nerve animal welfare is preserved (Papalia et al, 2003) and the results are more likely to be translated to the clinical practice (the main goal of pre-clinical studies) since the large majority of surgeries of human nerves are performed in the upper limb. In addition, the grasping function requires a fine and skilled movement of the fingers that is quite similar between the mostly used laboratory animals (mice and rats) and humans (Whishaw et al, 1992).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The sciatic nerve injury model in pre-clinical research

Geuna

2015

Journal of Neuroscience Methods

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117

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In the pre-clinical view, the study of peripheral nerve repair and regeneration still needs to be carried out in animal models due to the structural complexity of this organ which can be only partly simulated in vitro. The far most used experimental model is based on the injury of the sciatic nerve, the largest nerve trunk in mammals. In this paper, the potential application of the sciatic nerve injury model in pre-clinical research is critically reviewed. This paper is aimed at helping researchers in properly employing this in vivo model for the study of nerve repair and regeneration as well as interpreting the results in a clinical translation perspective.

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“…Clinical investigations carried out so far showed that this type of bioengineered scaffolds leads to an outcome similar to that expected after traditional nerve graft repair. 15,29 However, experimental investigation of functional recovery after muscle-vein-combined mixed nerve reconstruction in rats, assessed by the grasping test, 73 showed that restoration of voluntary control of the motor function in rats was slightly slower in comparison to traditional autograft repair. 74 For this reason, the muscle-vein-combined reconstruction of mixed nerves should still be limited to selected cases in which bioengineered scaffold employment is justified by the limited availability of donor tissue for nerve autograft as well as by its related morbidity.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nerve regeneration along bioengineered scaffolds

et al. 2007

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Tissue engineering has recently seen great advancements in many medical fields, including peripheral nerve reconstruction. In the rat median nerve model, we investigated nerve repair by means of bioengineered tissue scaffolds (muscle-vein-combined tubes) focusing on changes in the neuregulin-1/ErbB-receptor system which represents one of the main regulatory systems of axo-glial interaction in peripheral nerves. Repaired nerves were withdrawn at 5, 15, and 30 days postoperative and processed for morphological and retro-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis. Results revealed an early and progressive increase in the expression of NRG1alpha isoform only, while the appearance of the beta isoform of NRG1, which is normally present in peripheral nerves, was delayed. In regards to ErbB2 and ErbB3 receptors, their expression increased progressively inside the muscle-vein-combined scaffolds, though with different kinetics. Taken together, these results suggest that variations in neuregulin-1/ErbB system activation play a key role in peripheral nerve regeneration along bioengineered muscle-vein-combined scaffolds. Since similar variations are also detectable in denervated skeletal muscles, it can be hypothesized that the existence of a NRG1's autocrine/paracrine trophic loop shared by both glial and muscle fibers could be responsible for the effectiveness of muscle-vein-combined conduits for repairing nerve defects.

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On the use of the grasping test in the rat median nerve model: a re-appraisal of its efficacy for quantitative assessment of motor function recovery

Cited by 87 publications

References 8 publications

Reflex‐based grasping, skilled forelimb reaching, and electrodiagnostic evaluation for comprehensive analysis of functional recovery—The 7‐mm rat median nerve gap repair model revisited

Reflex‐based grasping, skilled forelimb reaching, and electrodiagnostic evaluation for comprehensive analysis of functional recovery—The 7‐mm rat median nerve gap repair model revisited

The sciatic nerve injury model in pre-clinical research

Nerve regeneration along bioengineered scaffolds

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