FIG. 7.
Moderate C6 clip-compression injury results in a significant decrease in forelimb sensory-evoked potentials (SEPs) and an increase in hindlimb H-reflex. (A) Schematic depicting the strategy for recording SEPs. (B) Representative waveforms are shown for animals having received a laminectomy-only (L.O.; sham) and animals that are 8 weeks post-injury. (C) Forelimb SEPs demonstrate a significant decrease in peak amplitude in C6-injured animals 8 weeks post-injury, as compared to sham (uninjured=4; 8 weeks post-SCI [spinal cord injury]=6; t-test: p=0.019). (D) Analysis of SEPs in the forelimbs showed a significant increase in peak latency in animals that were 8 weeks post-injury, compared to sham animals (uninjured=4; 8 weeks post-SCI=6; t-test: p=0.020). (E) Representative waveforms of H reflex are shown for animals having received an L.O. and animals that were 8 weeks post-injury. (F) Excitability of hindlimb H-reflex was determined by testing the maximal plantar H-reflex and maximal plantar M response to obtain a ratio (Hmax/Mmax). This analysis showed a significantly lower excitability threshold in sham animals, compared to animals 8 weeks post-injury (uninjured=4; 8 weeks post-SCI=6; t-test: p=0.042). Data are presented as mean±standard error of the mean.