Evaluation of GaitLab on a model of Parkinson rats by the Grenoble Institute of Neuroscience

Methodology:

Bilateral injection by stereotaxic surgery of 6-hydroxydopamine (6 - OHDA, n = 3) or NaCl (Sham, n = 6) in the substantia nigra compact (6 - OHDA, n = 3) or NaCl (Sham, n = 6) in the substantia nigra compact part, inducing dorsal striatum denervation (Fig. 1), in Sprague-Dawley adult male rats.

Figure 1. Example of denervation of the dopaminergic system induced by infusion of 6-OHDA.  Immunostaining of the tyrosine hydroxylase in the midbrain (A, C) and in the striatum (B, D).

The Injection of 6-OHDA leads to a dopamine denervation in the striatum (C, D) with respect to a Sham animals (A, B). SNc: substantia nigra pars compacta, ATV: tegmental area eral wind. Scale bar =1mm.

The experiment starts three weeks after lesion induction. Meanwhile, the animals are trained daily for two weeks to browse the right aisle of Viewpoint Gaitlab at constant speed (coefficient regularity>

98%). The last day, different locomotor parameters are measured and analyzed. For each animal, the values ​​of three successful trials (travelling at constant speed) are averaged.