Fig. 7.

Poly I:C induces acute neurological impairment in ME7 animals and accelerates disease progression. (a and b) ME7 and NBH animals were challenged i.p. with poly I:C (12 mg/kg) at 16 weeks and their performance on the horizontal bar (a) and inverted screen (b) tests of motor co-ordination and muscle strength was assessed at 6, 14, 24 and 168 h post-challenge. (c and d) The same tests were conducted weekly to assess the influence on disease progression of poly I:C or saline challenges at 14, 16 and 18 weeks post-inoculation with ME7 or NBH. Longitudinal studies (c and d) experiments were conducted with n = 12 NBH + pIC and n = 15 for all other groups. Data are shown as mean ± SEM and statistically significant differences by Bonferroni post hoc test after significant main effects and interactions by repeated measures ANOVA are indicated by ^∗p < 0.05, ^∗∗∗p < 0.001. (e and f) These data are also shown with both acute and weekly time point assessments to depict the course of neurological impairments when underlying disease and systemic challenge combine. Treatment with poly I:C is indicated by grey arrows and in longitudinal experiments animals were treated three times with poly I:C.