The CatWalk XT® Gait Analysis Is Closely Correlated with Tissue Damage after Cervical Spinal Cord Injury in Rats

Objective and consistent assessment of locomotion recovery remains challenging in rodent spinal cord injury (SCI). We, therefore, studied the validity relevance CatWalk XT® gait analysis as a tool for assessing functional outcome clinically relevant cervical SCI model rats. In total, 20 Wistar rats were randomly assigned to either C6 clip compression/contusion or sham laminectomy. Locomotion was assessed weekly using BBB open field score. Six weeks after SCI, percentage preserved tissue measured by glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining. Statistical analyses performed assess correlation with 30 different parameters. caused bilateral significant impairment all Similar BBB, spontaneous could be observed most parameters following weeks. Correlation between hindlimb good (53% r values > 0.6) while forelimb even stronger (83% 0.6). The is closely correlated damage contusion/compression can used an objective recovery.