| First Author | Lemieux M | Year | 2024 |
| Journal | Nat Commun | Volume | 15 |
| Issue | 1 | Pages | 1542 |
| PubMed ID | 38378819 | Mgi Jnum | J:363451 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:7609326 | Doi | 10.1038/s41467-024-45300-4 |
| Citation | Lemieux M, et al. (2024) Functional plasticity of glutamatergic neurons of medullary reticular nuclei after spinal cord injury in mice. Nat Commun 15(1):1542 |
| abstractText | Spinal cord injury disrupts the descending command from the brain and causes a range of motor deficits. Here, we use optogenetic tools to investigate the functional plasticity of the glutamatergic reticulospinal drive of the medullary reticular formation after a lateral thoracic hemisection in female mice. Sites evoking stronger excitatory descending drive in intact conditions are the most impaired after injury, whereas those associated with a weaker drive are potentiated. After lesion, pro- and anti-locomotor activities (that is, initiation/acceleration versus stop/deceleration) are overall preserved. Activating the descending reticulospinal drive improves stepping ability on a flat surface of chronically impaired injured mice, and its priming enhances recovery of skilled locomotion on a horizontal ladder. This study highlights the resilience and capacity for reorganization of the glutamatergic reticulospinal command after injury, along with its suitability as a therapeutical target to promote functional recovery. |
