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Body weight, limb size, and muscular properties of early paraplegic mice.

Patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) typically experience body weight loss, motor function deficits, and a general decline of physical fitness. Animal models with these characteristics can serve to study the detailed adaptive changes following SCI. In the present study, we report the use of an adult paraplegic mouse model to study SCI-induced changes. We characterized the early effects of complete thoracic spinal cord transection on (1) whole body weight, (2) forelimb and hindlimb weight and volume, and (3) contractile properties of hindlimb extensor muscle. Drastic changes were found at 7 days post-spinal cord transection. These included a 24% loss in whole body weight accompanied by a large decrease of weight and volume in the forelimbs and the hindlimbs. We also observed in the soleus muscle, a 32% decrease in mass and maximal tetanic tension (Po) as well as a 21% and 48% increase in time-to-peak tension (TPT) and half-relaxation time (1/2 RT) respectively. After 28 days, all of the changes remained, except for 1/2 RT and TPT which nearly returned to control levels. Altogether, the results reveal that large changes in body weight, limb size and musculoskeletal properties occur within only one week after complete spinal cord transection. The use of paraplegic mouse models may provide new therapeutic approaches to restore motor and locomotor functions after SCI.