Movement is
controlled by the interaction of many component parts of the central nervous
system, from myelinated motor neurons projecting from the spinal cord to the
higher neural processes in cerebellum and basal ganglia. This produces a highly
controllable, functional system. However, this finely integrated network can be
disrupted by injury and a range of disease processes that lead to significant
motor dysfunction. Damage to single elements of this circuitry, which result
from both idiopathic and genetic conditions, can cause profound alterations in
motor function. In order to understand these disorders and thereby facilitate
recovery and repair, it is necessary to translate in vitro findings and
hypotheses into animal representations of both functional and dysfunctional
systems. These animal models range in species from lower orders, such as drosophila and Caenorhabditis elegans, through
vertebrate species including fish, to mammals, such as rodents and nonhuman
primates. Each model has its own profile of face, construct, and predictive
validities, all of which must be considered when selecting the most appropriate
for the experiment in hand. Similarly, the assessment methods used will depend
on the species and the outcome variables that need to be assessed and must be
similarly scrutinized for validity to answer the postulated hypothesis.
This volume
introduces the variety of tools used in the assessment of motor function,
highlighting their advantages and limitations and noting important technical
considerations. We first take a look through the clinician’s perspective on
animal models of disease, before exploring both simple (e.g., drosophila) and more complex (rodent
and nonhuman primate) model systems and reviewing the use of genetic
manipulations, behavioural assessments, and the increasing use of imaging
techniques. We then take a journey, descending through the central nervous
system, describing animal models of disorders that target different levels of
motor control. One interesting development found through the process of
formulating this volume was the overlap in rodent behavioural techniques that
are used across a range of motor disorders. Importantly, despite their wide
use, each laboratory has its own approach to each behavioural technique. Many
of the standard tests appear simple on first inspection, but a critical eye is
required, and seemingly insignificant manipulations can produce critical
differences in the outcomes and interpretation of the data produced.
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