Neuroscience 2000 Abstract
| Presentation Number: | 381.7 |
|---|---|
| Abstract Title: | Effect of physical therapy on the behavioral and neurochemical response to 6-hydroxydopamine. |
| Authors: |
Tillerson, J. L.*1
; Cohen, A.1
; Fleming, S. M.2
; Castro, S. L.3
; Philhower, J.1
; Miller, G. W.1
; Zigmond, M. J.3
; Schallert, T.1,2
1Institute for Neuroscience, Univ Texas Austin, Austin, TX 2Psychology, Univ Texas Austin, Austin, TX 3Dept. of Neurology, Univ. of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA |
| Primary Theme and Topics |
J. Disorders of the Nervous System and Aging - 131. Degenerative disease: Parkinson's |
| Session: |
381. Degenerative disease: Parkinson's--toxins II Poster |
| Presentation Time: | Monday, November 6, 2000 3:00 PM-4:00 PM |
| Location: | Hall G-J |
| Keywords: | PARKINSON, DOPAMINE, MOTOR ACTIVITY, PLASTICITY |
Previous work in our lab has shown that rats with severe unilateral dopamine (DA) depletion show extreme preferential use of the impaired forelimb, but benefit from immobilization of the affected forelimb during or soon after degeneration (Tillerson et al. SFN Abst., 1999 ). We have extended those initial observations. Animals received 10 µg of the selective neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) into the MFB. Such lesions typically cause a 60-90% loss of DA in the striatum. By immobilizing the non-impaired forelimb immediately after the lesion, animals were forced to rely on their impaired limb for 7 days. When the casts were removed, the animals displayed no detectable impairment or asymmetry of limb use and showed no contralateral turning to apomorphine. In addition, these animals show remarkable sparing of striatal DA, its metabolites, and the vesicular monoamine transporter, suggesting a decrease in the extent of DA neuron degeneration. Whereas behavioral and neurochemical recovery appeared to be complete when the 7-day period of immobilization was initiated immediately after 6-OHDA infusion, recovery was only partial when immobilization was initiated 3-days post-operatively. No recovery was detected when immobilization was initiated 7-days after 6-OHDA treatment. These results suggest that physical therapy focusing on increased use of impaired limbs may be beneficial in preventing neural degeneration and functional impairments in patients with Parkinson’s disease.
Supported by NIH grts NS19608 & MH00058, & the National Parkinson Foundation.
Sample Citation:
[Authors]. [Abstract Title]. Program No. XXX.XX. 2000 Neuroscience Meeting Planner. New Orleans, LA: Society for Neuroscience, 2000. Online.
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