The reorganization of primary motor cortex with rehabilitative interventions after experimental strokes in monkeys

据报道，康复干预可以改善脑卒中患者的功能结局。然而，目前还不清楚它是如何帮助从偏瘫或单瘫中恢复的。为了解决这个问题，我们研究了自愿运动受损的前肢在恢复实验性中风后的猴子。(1)用录像机记录前肢收回食物颗粒的运动。为了在浅井中获取食物颗粒，完整的猴子使用拇指向第一个手指内收，而他弯曲第一个和第二个手指进入深井。(2)在戊巴比妥钠麻醉下，我们通过应用皮质内微刺激检查了优势半球的初级运动皮质的体感。前肢的代表性几乎与以前的报告相似。远侧前肢代表（手指，手腕/前臂）是有界的内侧。近端区域（肘部和肩部）的运动以侧向表示。在前肢远端区域的血管扩张造成了小的梗死。(3)通过测量中风后1个月服用药丸所需的时间（手功能测试：HPT）和VTR来评估实验性中风的恢复过程。在第一周，经常观察到无法取回食物颗粒和代偿性运动，如改变姿势和累及其他关节。取丸时间较损伤前延长，直至第1个月。在那之后，他们在性能测试中不再表现出运动缺陷。这种研究实验性脑卒中后功能恢复的动物模型对评价运动功能障碍是有用的。有了这个模型，我们将能够进一步研究大脑中的恢复过程和重组是如何发生的。

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.(1) The forelimb movements to retrieve food pellets were analyzed with videotape recording (VTR). To take food pellets in a shallow well, intact monkeys used thumb adduction toward the first finger, while he flexed the first and the second fingers for the deep well.(2) Under Pentobarbital Na anesthesia, we examined somatotopy of the primary motor cortex of the dominant hemisphere by applying intracortical microstimulation. Representation of forelimb was almost similar to the previous reports. The distal forelimb representation (digit, wrist/forearm) was bounded medially. Movements of proximal areas (elbow and shoulder) are represented laterally. A small infarction was made by coagulating blood vessels in the area of the distal forelimb.(3) Recovery process from experimental stroke was evaluated by measuring the time required for taking pellets (Hand Performance Test : HPT) and VTR until 1 month after stroke.Monkeys could not use their impaired hands during the first 2 days. The failure to retrieve food pellets and compensatory movements such as changing posture and involvement of other joints were often observed during the first week. The time for retrieving pellets was prolonged than that before the lesion until the first month. After that, they no longer showed motor deficit in the performance test. 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.