Left-right side-specific endocrine signaling complements neural pathways to mediate acute asymmetric effects of brain injury

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2021

Authors

Lukoyanov, NV (Author) FMUP; Watanabe, H (Author) Other; Carvalho, LS (Author) Other; Kononenko, O (Author) Other; Sarkisyan, D (Author) Other; Zhang, ML (Author) Other; Andersen, MS (Author) Other; Lukoyanova, EA (Author) Other; Galatenko, V (Author) Other; Tonevitsky, A (Author) Other; Bazov, I (Author) Other; Iakovleva, T (Author) Other; Schouenborg, J (Author) Other; Bakalkin, G (Author) Other

Journal

Title: eLife

Vol. 10

ISSN: 2050-084X

Publisher: eLife Sciences Publications

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 2 Citations

Scopus - 11 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00V-8TQ

DOI: 10.7554/elife.65247

Abstract (EN): Brain injuries can interrupt descending neural pathways that convey motor commands from the cortex to spinal motoneurons. Here, we demonstrate that a unilateral injury of the hindlimb sensorimotor cortex of rats with completely transected thoracic spinal cord produces hindlimb postural asymmetry with contralateral flexion and asymmetric hindlimb withdrawal reflexes within 3 hr, as well as asymmetry in gene expression patterns in the lumbar spinal cord. The injury-induced postural effects were abolished by hypophysectomy and were mimicked by transfusion of serum from animals with brain injury. Administration of the pituitary neurohormones beta-endorphin or Arg-vasopressin-induced side-specific hindlimb responses in naive animals, while antagonists of the opioid and vasopressin receptors blocked hindlimb postural asymmetry in rats with brain injury. Thus, in addition to the well-established involvement of motor pathways descending from the brain to spinal circuits, the side-specific humoral signaling may also add to postural and reflex asymmetries seen after brain injury.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 33