Magnetic Stimulation of Gigantocellular Reticular Nucleus with Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Combined Treadmill Training Enhanced Locomotor Recovery by Reorganizing Cortico-Reticulo-Spinal Circuit

This study explores a new way to help people with spinal cord injuries recover their ability to walk. It focuses on a part of the brain called the gigantocellular reticular nucleus (GRNs), which is important for movement. Researchers used magnetic stimulation with iron oxide nanoparticles to activate the GRNs in mice with spinal cord injuries. They also combined this with treadmill training to see if it improved recovery. The results showed that this combination helped the mice walk better by reorganizing the connections between the brain and spinal cord. This suggests it could be a promising approach for helping people with spinal cord injuries.

• 1
  SPIO persisted in GRNs for a minimum of 24 weeks without inducing apoptosis of GRN cells, and degraded slowly over time.
• 2
  MSS-enabled treadmill training dramatically improved locomotor performances of injured mice, and promoted cortico-reticulo-spinal circuit reorganization.
• 3
  MSS-enabled treadmill training took superimposed roles through both activating GRNs to drive more projections of GRNs across lesion site and rebalancing neurotransmitters’ expression in anterior horn of lumbar spinal cord.