RR-PO-0977

Wednesday 11:30, Palau de Congressos, Exhibition Hall  [Display No. 523]

FUNCTIONAL RECOVERY OF VOLUNTARY FORELIMB MOVEMENTS AFTER EXPERIMENTAL STROKES IN MONKEYS Kasahara S, Fukushima J, Asaka T, Yamanaka M, Saito H; Department of Physical Therapy, College of Medical Technology and Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan PURPOSE: It is reported that rehabilitative intervention improves the functional outcome of patients after strokes. However, it is still unclear how it assists recovery from hemi-or monoparesis. In order to address this question, we examined voluntary movements of impaired forelimbs during recovery after experimental strokes in monkeys.  RELEVANCE: This study will give us useful information for the rehabilitation of the patients after strokes, if this could be an excellent model for studying functional recovery after stroke.  SUBJECTS & METHODS: This experiment was approved by Animal Care and Use Committee of Hokkaido University School of Medicine. A modified "Kluver Board" was prepared for two monkeys. They are required to take food pellets with their dominant hands before and after the lesion. Under Pentobarbital Na anesthesia, we examined somatotopy of the dominant primary motor cortex by intracortical microstimulation. After we confirmed the distal forelimb area, a small electrolytic lesion was made in this localized area using direct current. Recovery process was evaluated by the performance test using "Kluver Board".  ANALYSIS: Motor deficit after the lesion was evaluated by measuring the time required for the monkeys to retrieve food pellets after they put fingers in the well of "Kluver Board". Statistical significance was tested with a paired t-test.  RESULTS: After the lesion, monkeys could not use their impaired hands during the first 2 days. They showed compensatory movements such as changing posture or using intact hands. The failure to retrieve a food pellet was often observed during the first week. The time required for retrieving a pellet was longer than that before the lesion during the first month. After that, they no longer showed motor deficit in the performance test.  CONCLUSION: We could evaluate the recovery process using the performance test after experimental stroke in monkeys. This animal model for studying functional recovery after experimental stroke is useful for the evaluation of motor deficit. With this model, we will be able to examine further how the recovery process and reorganization in the brain are taken place.