Characteristics of muscle fibers in rats with limb movements during sleep after spinal cord injury.

Eur Neurol

Departamento de Psicobiologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.

Published: June 2012

Background/aims: Previous studies have demonstrated that spinal cord injury (SCI) results in changes in sleep patterns through increased arousals and limb movements during sleep. Dramatic changes in muscle myosin heavy-chain isoforms have also been reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of muscle fibers after SCI in rats with limb movements during sleep.

Methods: Forty male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: SHAM, SCI 3, 7 and 15 days. Animals were subjected to electrode insertion surgery, 24-hour baseline sleep recording, SCI, and subsequent sleep recording for 3, 7, or 15 consecutive days. In addition, the gastrocnemius muscle and spinal cord were collected for histopathological/histochemical analyses.

Results: Our results indicate a rapid and progressive decrease in the cross-sectional area of type I fibers in the gastrocnemius muscle (35.76-24.74 μm(2)) after SCI. Additionally, we found SCI-induced changes in sleep patterns. Following SCI, we also observed limb movements in sleeping rats, as well as significant negative moderate correlations between type I fibers and limb movement.

Conclusion: Our study strengthened the hypothesis by correlation between changes in types of muscle fiber (decline in type I fibers) and an increase in limb movements during sleep after SCI.

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000334102DOI Listing

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