High Speed Ventral Plane Videography as a Convenient Tool to Quantify Motor Deficits during Pre-Clinical Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

  • Jiangshan Zhan
  • Vladislav Yakimov
  • Sebastian Rühling
  • Felix Fischbach
  • Elena Nikolova
  • Sarah Joost
  • Hannes Kaddatz
  • Theresa Greiner
  • Julia Frenz
  • Carsten Holzmann
  • Markus Kipp

Abstract

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is the most commonly used multiple sclerosis animal model. EAE mice typically develop motor deficits in a caudal-to-rostral pattern when inflammatory lesions have already developed. However, to monitor more subtle behavioral deficits during lesion development (i.e., pre-clinical phase), more sophisticated methods are needed. Here, we investigated whether high speed ventral plane videography can be applied to monitor early motor deficits during 'pre-clinical' EAE. For this purpose, EAE was induced in C57BL/6 mice and gait abnormalities were quantified using the DigiGait™ apparatus. Gait deficits were related to histopathological changes. 10 out of 10 control (100%), and 14 out of 18 (77.8%) pre-clinical EAE mice could be evaluated using DigiGait™. EAE severity was not influenced by DigiGait™-related mice handlings. Most gait parameters recorded from day 6 post-immunization until the end of the experiment were found to be stable in control mice. During the pre-clinical phase, when conventional EAE scorings failed to detect any functional impairment, EAE mice showed an increased Swing Time, increased %Swing Stride, decreased %Stance Stride, decreased Stance/Swing, and an increased Absolute Paw Angle. In summary, DigiGait™ is more sensitive than conventional scoring approaches to study motor deficits during the EAE pre-clinical phase.

Bibliographical data

Original languageEnglish
ISSN2073-4409
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 14.11.2019
Externally publishedYes
PubMed 31739589