Analysis on Bilateral Hindlimb Mapping in Motor Cortex of the Rat by an Intracortical Microstimulation Method

Intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) is a technique that was developed to derive movement representation of the motor cortex. Although rats are now commonly used in motor mapping studies, the precise characteristics of rat motor map, including symmetry and consistency across animals, and the possibility of repeated stimulation have not yet been established. We performed bilateral hindlimb mapping of motor cortex in six Sprague-Dawley rats using ICMS. ICMS was applied to the left and the right cerebral hemisphere at 0.3 mm intervals vertically and horizontally from the bregma, and any movement of the hindlimbs was noted. The majority (80%±11%) of responses were not restricted to a single joint, which occurred simultaneously at two or three hindlimb joints. The size and shape of hindlimb motor cortex was variable among rats, but existed on the convex side of the cerebral hemisphere in all rats. The results did not show symmetry according to specific joints in each rats. Conclusively, the hindlimb representation in the rat motor cortex was conveniently mapped using ICMS, but the characteristics and inter-individual variability suggest that precise individual mapping is needed to clarify motor distribution in rats.

Graphical Abstract

相似文献   

Reduction of experimental diabetic vascular leakage and pericyte apoptosis in mice by delivery of αA-crystallin with a recombinant adenovirus

Aims/hypothesis  

The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of recombinant adenovirus expressing αA-crystallin (Ad-αAc-Gfp) in reducing pericyte loss within retinal vasculature in early diabetes.     

Disseminated cutaneous and visceral Kaposi sarcoma in a woman with rheumatoid arthritis receiving leflunomide

Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a vascular neoplasm mainly affecting the skin of the limbs that has previously been associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). When compared with the RA patients treated with corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs, the reported number of KS in RA patients was very rare. Although the exact mechanisms of developing KS in RA patients are unclear, some drugs which include corticosteroid have been suggested as an etiological factor in previous case reports of RA and KS. We report, here in, another case of KS associated with the initiation of leflunomide in a patient with RA.