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The Journal of Neuroscience, November 29, 2006, 26(48):12537-12543; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2198-06.2006

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Development/Plasticity/Repair
Operant Conditioning of H-Reflex Can Correct a Locomotor Abnormality after Spinal Cord Injury in Rats

Yi Chen,^1,2 Xiang Yang Chen,¹ Lyn B. Jakeman,² Lu Chen,¹ Bradford T. Stokes,² and Jonathan R. Wolpaw¹

¹Laboratory of Nervous System Disorders, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health and State University of New York, Albany, New York 12201, and ²Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210

Correspondence should be addressed to Xiang Yang Chen, Laboratory of Nervous System Disorders, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, P.O. Box 509, Albany, NY 12201-0509. Email: chenx{at}wadsworth.org

This study asked whether operant conditioning of the H-reflex can modify locomotion in spinal cord-injured rats. Midthoracic transection of the right lateral column of the spinal cord produced a persistent asymmetry in the muscle activity underlying treadmill locomotion. The rats were then either exposed or not exposed to an H-reflex up-conditioning protocol that greatly increased right soleus motoneuron response to primary afferent input, and locomotion was reevaluated. H-reflex up-conditioning increased the right soleus burst and corrected the locomotor asymmetry. In contrast, the locomotor asymmetry persisted in the control rats. These results suggest that appropriately selected reflex conditioning protocols might improve function in people with partial spinal cord injuries. Such protocols might be especially useful when significant regeneration becomes possible and precise methods for reeducating the regenerated spinal cord neurons and synapses are needed for restoring effective function.

Key words: H-reflex conditioning; spinal cord plasticity; motor control; spinal cord injury; locomotion; rehabilitation; learning; memory

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Received May 24, 2006; revised Sept. 27, 2006; accepted Sept. 27, 2006.

Correspondence should be addressed to Xiang Yang Chen, Laboratory of Nervous System Disorders, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, P.O. Box 509, Albany, NY 12201-0509. Email: chenx{at}wadsworth.org

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. Frigon, S. Yakovenko, V. Gritsenko, M.-E. Tremblay, and G. Barriere Strengthening Corticospinal Connections with Chronic Electrical Stimulation after Injury J. Neurosci., March 26, 2008; 28(13): 3262 - 3263. [Full Text] [PDF]

				X. Y. Chen, S. Pillai, Y. Chen, Y. Wang, L. Chen, J. S. Carp, and J. R. Wolpaw Spinal and Supraspinal Effects of Long-Term Stimulation of Sensorimotor Cortex in Rats J Neurophysiol, August 1, 2007; 98(2): 878 - 887. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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