Reproducible and persistent weakness in adult rats after surgical resection of motor cortex: evaluation with limb placement test

The purpose of this study was to develop a new rat model for surgical brain injury with motor weakness and to find an adequate behavior test for the application of the model. Thirty rats were divided into three groups: craniectomy (n = 10), durotomy (n = 10), and corticectomy (n = 10) groups. The coordinates of the three points from the bregma (coordinate A = +4,+1, B = -2,+1, and C = +4,+6). We evaluated right limb motor performance by the modified limb placement test and the cylinder test. Persistent motor weakness was observed for 2 months in the corticectomy group by the limb placement test, whereas the cylinder test could not detect the weakness. We established a reproducible and persistent rat brain injury model and found that the modified limb placement test is sensitive enough to evaluate residual subtle weakness in this model.MacLellan CL, 2006, J CEREBR BLOOD F MET, V26, P1031, DOI 10.1038/sj.jcbfm.9600255Dancause N, 2005, J NEUROSCI, V25, P10167, DOI 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3256-05.2005Hsu JE, 2005, EUR J NEUROSCI, V22, P2069, DOI 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2005.04370.xBiernaskie J, 2005, EUR J NEUROSCI, V21, P989, DOI 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2005.03899.xEMERICK AJ, 2005, DIABETES, V54, P2764Luke C, 2004, CLIN REHABIL, V18, P888, DOI 10.1191/0269215504cr793oaGonzalez CLR, 2004, EUR J NEUROSCI, V20, P3442, DOI 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2004.03751.xAllred RP, 2004, EXP NEUROL, V190, P433, DOI 10.1016/j.expneurol.2004.08.005Whishaw IQ, 2004, J NEUROTRAUM, V21, P1584Douen AG, 2004, BRAIN RES, V1008, P139, DOI 10.1016/j.brainres.2003.08.070Jeong SW, 2003, STROKE, V34, P2258, DOI 10.1161/01.STR.0000083698.20199.1FRossini PM, 2003, LANCET NEUROL, V2, P493Emerick AJ, 2003, J NEUROSCI, V23, P4826Calautti C, 2003, STROKE, V34, P1553, DOI 10.1161/01.STR.0000071761.36075.A6Bury SD, 2002, J NEUROSCI, V22, P8597Puurunen K, 2001, NEUROPHARMACOLOGY, V40, P597Schallert T, 2000, NEUROPHARMACOLOGY, V39, P777Ren JM, 2000, NEUROPHARMACOLOGY, V39, P860Soblosky JS, 1997, BEHAV BRAIN RES, V89, P51Soblosky JS, 1996, BEHAV BRAIN RES, V79, P79GOLDSTEIN LB, 1995, BRAIN RES, V674, P167MONTOYA CP, 1991, J NEUROSCI METH, V36, P219DERYCK M, 1989, STROKE, V20, P1383NEAFSEY EJ, 1986, BRAIN RES, V396, P77FRANKOWSKI RF, 1986, ADV PSYCHOSOM MED, V16, P153MARSHALL JF, 1984, ANNU REV PSYCHOL, V35, P277