Figure 1.
Illustration of the behavioral tests.
A. The elevated body swing, B. The balance test on 2 wooden beams, C. The ladder-climbing test, D. The grip force test with both forelimbs and E. The grip force test with only one forelimb (in this example, the right forelimb).
Figure 2.
Schematic experimental procedure to evoke H-reflex and triceps brachii isometric exercise by musculospiral nerve stimulation.
Table 1.
Behavioral tests for Control, SHAM-D1 and MCAO-D1 groups.
Figure 3.
This test is used to assess the lateralization of the lesion (asymmetrical motor behavior). * indicates a significant increase for the left swing number/total swing number ratio for MCAO-D7 group between PRE and from D1 to D7 (p<0.001). + indicates a significant increase for the left swing number/total swing number ratio for MCAO-D7 group compared to Control and SHAM-D7 groups from D1 to D7 (p<0.001).
Figure 4.
The beam balance task is used to assess deficits of the vestibulomotor function after MCAOr. * indicates a significant decrease in the balance duration for MCAO-D7 group between PRE and from D1 to D7 (p<0.001). + indicates a significant decrease in the balance duration for MCAO-D7 group compared to Control and SHAM-D7 groups from D1 to D7 (p<0.001). For the MCAO-D7 group: Ω indicates a significant difference between D4 and D1 to D3; δ indicates a significant difference between D5 and D1 to D4; § indicates a significant difference between D6 and D1 to D4 (p<0,001 for all); ψ indicates a significant difference between D7 and D1 to D4 (p<0.001 for all).
Figure 5.
The ladder-climbing test is used to evaluate the sensorimotor capacities to correctly grip the rung while rats climbed up a inclined ladder. * indicates a decrease of the successful score in the MCAO-D7 group between PRE and D1 to D7 (p<0.001). The successful score is expressed in % in the graph. + indicates a decrease of the successful score in the MCAO-D7 group compared to Control and SHAM-D7 groups from D1 to D7 (p<0.001). For the MCAO-D7 group: δ indicates a significant difference between D7 and D1 to D5; § indicates a significant difference between D6 and D1 to D5; ψ indicates a significant difference between D5 and D1 to D4 (p<0.001).
Figure 6.
Grip force exerted by both forepaws.
The grip force is measured by using a grip force tester. A. Absolute grip force (g). * indicates a decrease of force for the MCAO-D7 group between PRE and D2, D4, D5, D6, D7. § indicates a decrease of force between D1 and D2 for the MCAO-D7 group. + indicates a significant difference between MCAO-D7 group and Control and SHAM-D7 groups (p<0,01).δ indicates a significant difference between MCAO-D7 group and SHAM-D7 group. ψ indicates an increase of force for the SHAM-D7 group at D3, D4, D6 and D7. B. Relative grip force (force/weight ratio, % of PRE-value). * indicates a decrease of force for the MCAO-D7 group between PRE and D1, D3, D4, D5, D6, D7 (p<0.05). + indicates a significant difference between MCAO-D7 group and Control (p<0.01 at D5, D6 and p<0.001 at D7) and between MCAO-D7 and SHAM-D7 groups (p<0.05 at D5, D6 and p<0.001 at D7).
Figure 7.
Grip force exerted by each forepaw - the L/R ratio.
* indicates a decrease of L/R ratio for the MCAO-D7 group between PRE and D1-D2. + indicates a significant difference for the MCAO-D7 group and the Control and SHAM-D7 groups (p<0.01).
Figure 8.
Duration of isometric exercise evoked by electrical stimulation of the musculospiral nerve.
+ indicates a significant difference between MCAO-D1 and MCAO-D7 groups compared to Control, SHAM-D1and SHAM-D7 groups (p<0.01).
Figure 9.
Hmax/Mmax ratios after isometric exercise.
The M- and H-waves are evoked by stimulation of the musculospiral nerve. * indicates a significant decrease of Hmax/Mmax evoked after exercise compared to the Hmax/Mmax evoked before exercise for the Control, SHAM-D1, SHAM-D7 and MCAO-D7 groups (p<0.01). No difference was observed for the MCAO-D1 group.
Figure 10.
Representative coronal slices with Cresyl violet following MCAO-r.
A. Slices recorded at MCAO-D1. B. Slices recorded at SHAM-D1.
Figure 11.
Infarct volume measurement from the Cresyl violet staining.
The cerebral lesion size observed in the right hemisphere (RH) after MCAO-r was measured at D1 and D7. Values are expressed in % of the RH.
Table 2.
MRI analysis (T2).
Figure 12.
MRI following MCAO-r on 2 rats.
Representative coronal slices obtain with T2-weighting: A. at D1 B. at D7 post-ischemia. Representative coronal slices obtain with T2* weighting: C. at D1, D. at D7 post-ischemia.