Acta neuropathologica
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Acta neuropathologica · Jul 2000
Spinal cord compression injury in the mouse: presentation of a model including assessment of motor dysfunction.
The purpose of this study was to develop a spinal cord injury model in the mouse. Various degrees of extradural compression were used to induce mild, moderate or severe compression injuries. Furthermore, a locomotor rating scale was developed by which the functional outcome of the spinal cord injury could be assessed. ⋯ This study shows that the mouse can be used to achieve reproducible spinal cord compression injuries of various degrees of severity. The force of the impact correlates well with the neurological and light microscopic outcome. The motor function test presented in this paper and the computerized quantification of tissue damage can be used to evaluate the efficacy of different treatment strategies.