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Gait analysis detects early changes in transgenic SOD1(G93A) mice
Author(s) -
Wooley Christine M.,
Sher Roger B.,
Kale Ajit,
Frankel Wayne N.,
Cox Gregory A.,
Seburn Kevin L.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/mus.20228
Subject(s) - genetically modified mouse , gait , sod1 , habituation , medicine , disease , transgene , neuroscience , amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , gait analysis , treadmill , physical medicine and rehabilitation , biology , biochemistry , gene
The effective treatment or cure of motoneuron disease will require understanding the disease processes that precede irreversible cell loss. To study these early stages, and to evaluate potential treatments in relevant animal models, requires a sensitive functional assay. To this end, we sought to determine whether the gait pattern of SOD1 transgenic mice changed prior to overt symptoms. Using a simplified video‐based approach we compared the treadmill gait of C57BL/6J and B6.SOD1 transgenic mice at 8 and 10 weeks of age. B6.SOD1 mice had significantly longer stride and stance times than controls by 8 weeks. Consistent with disease progression, hindpaw measures of B6.SOD1 mice showed larger changes than front paws. Differences between control and B6.SOD1 mice increased at 10 weeks, but only because repeat testing caused habituation in control mice to a greater extent than in B6.SOD1 mice. Together the results demonstrate that simplified gait analysis is sensitive to early processes of motor system disease in mice. Muscle Nerve, 2005