Air-righting responses to chronic hindlimb suspension and ambulation recovery in adult rats

Biol Sci Space. 2002 Nov;16(3):149-50.

Abstract

Laouris et al. (1990) reported that the development of air-righting in growing new-born rats was clearly suppressed when their neck and/or back rotations were prevented. Thus, it is suggested that the neck and back muscles play an important role for a quick righting in response to drop from supine position. Further, we reported that an inhibiton of posture adjustment in response to head-down drop from a height of approximately 30 cm following chronic hindlimb suspension of adult rats was accompanied by a decrease of electromyogram (EMG) activity in both neck and back muscles (Kawano et al., 2002). However, it is still unclear how the air-righting performance is influenced by hindlimb suspension in adult rats. Thus, the effects of chronic hindlimb suspension of adult rats on the patterns and time of air-righting and role of neck and back muscles in the air-righting were investigated in the current study.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Back / physiology
  • Electromyography
  • Hindlimb Suspension*
  • Male
  • Motor Activity / physiology*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / physiology*
  • Neck Muscles / physiology
  • Postural Balance / physiology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar