Tail Nerve Electrical Stimulation and Electro-Acupuncture Can Protect Spinal Motor Neurons and Alleviate Muscle Atrophy after Spinal Cord Transection in Rats

Abstract

Spinal cord injury (SCI) often results in death of spinal neurons and atrophy of muscles which they govern. Thus, following SCI, reorganizing the lumbar spinal sensorimotor pathways is crucial to alleviate muscle atrophy. Tail nerve electrical stimulation (TANES) has been shown to activate the central pattern generator (CPG) and improve the locomotion recovery of spinal contused rats. Electroacupuncture (EA) is a traditional Chinese medical practice which has been proven to have a neural protective effect. Here, we examined the effects of TANES and EA on lumbar motor neurons and hindlimb muscle in spinal transected rats, respectively. From the third day postsurgery, rats in the TANES group were treated 5 times a week and those in the EA group were treated once every other day. Four weeks later, both TANES and EA showed a significant impact in promoting survival of lumbar motor neurons and expression of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and ameliorating atrophy of hindlimb muscle after SCI. Meanwhile, the expression of neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) in the same spinal cord segment was significantly increased. These findings suggest that TANES and EA can augment the expression of NT-3 in the lumbar spinal cord that appears to protect the motor neurons as well as alleviate muscle atrophy.

Tail nerve electrical stimulation-induced walking training promotes restoration of locomotion and electrophysiology in rats with chronic spinal cord injury

“…Activity-dependent plasticity occurs in the spinal cord throughout life and plays an important role in the acquisition and maintenance of motor skills and in the effects of spinal cord injury and other CNS disorders [32]. The phenomenon observed in this study may be associated with the activity-dependent plasticity promoted by TANES or TANES-induced locomotor training [13]. This finding further demonstrates that the temporary ability to step or walk induced by CPG activation triggered through the TANES could be transformed into permanent ability which was not completely controlled by brain and brainstem.…”

Neurotrophin‐3 released from implant of tissue‐engineered fibroin scaffolds inhibits inflammation, enhances nerve fiber regeneration, and improves motor function in canine spinal cord injury

“…The functional change is supported by the existence of a circuit of neurons in the lumbar spinal cord called the central pattern generator(CPG) 53. It has been reported that electrical stimulation can increase the expression of NT‐3 in the lumbar motor neurons and alleviate the muscle atrophy in the hindlimb, which will allow for the new treatment strategy in the injured spinal cord 54. In accordance with our previous work,12 we have provided here with further evidence that supports the use of bioactive scaffold to reform central pattern‐generating circuitry of spinal interneurons in canines.…”

Mesenchymal stromal cells as a choice for spinal cord injury treatment

“…Electroacupuncture/electrostimulation is another treatment that has long been used in spinal cord injury therapy and has been shown to inhibit inflammation, promote the secretion of neurotrophic factors, and reduce secondary injuries [29,30] . Chen et al [31] performed electroacupuncture on rats with spinal cord injury and found that this treatment is effective to prevent oligodendrocyte apoptosis and to improve functional recovery after spinal cord injury.…”