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Fibrillation potentials following spinal cord injury: improvement with neurotrophins and exercise.

Abstract
Fibrillation potentials and positive sharp waves (spontaneous potentials) are the electrophysiological hallmark of denervated skeletal muscle, and their detection by intramuscular electromyography (EMG) is the clinical gold standard for diagnosing denervated skeletal muscle. Surprisingly, spontaneous potentials have been described following human and experimental spinal cord injury (SCI) in muscles innervated by spinal cord segments distal to the level of direct spinal injury. To determine whether electrophysiological abnormalities are improved by two therapeutic interventions for experimental SCI, neurotrophic factors and exercise training, we studied four representative hindlimb muscles in adult domestic short-hair cats following complete transection of the spinal cord at T11-T12. In untreated cats, electrophysiological abnormalities persisted unchanged for 12 weeks postinjury, the longest duration studied. In contrast, fibrillations and positive sharp waves largely resolved in animals that underwent weight-supported treadmill training or received grafts containing fibroblasts genetically modified to express brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurotrophin-3. These findings suggest that neurotrophins and activity play an important role in the poorly understood phenomenon of fibrillations distal to SCI.
AuthorsAnthony S Burns, Vanessa S Boyce, Alan Tessler, Michel A Lemay
JournalMuscle & nerve (Muscle Nerve) Vol. 35 Issue 5 Pg. 607-13 (May 2007) ISSN: 0148-639X [Print] United States
PMID17221884 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.)
Chemical References
  • Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
  • Neurotrophin 3
Topics
  • Animals
  • Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (genetics)
  • Cats
  • Electromyography
  • Exercise Therapy
  • Fibroblasts (metabolism, transplantation)
  • Genetic Therapy
  • Muscle Weakness (diagnosis, etiology, therapy)
  • Neurotrophin 3 (genetics)
  • Spinal Cord Injuries (complications)

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