Article

Constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) has emerged as a promising
therapeutic strategy for improving affected upper limb function in children with
hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP). However, little is known about the changes in the
brain that are induced by CIMT. This study was designed to investigate these
changes and behavioural performance after CIMT intervention in mice with neonatal
hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. METHOD: We utilized the neonatal hypoxic-ischemic
brain injury model established in mice pups. Three weeks after the injury, the
mice were randomly assigned to the following three groups: the control group (n =
15), the enriched-environment group (n = 17), and the CIMT with an
enriched-environment group (CIMT-EE, n = 15). 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU) was
injected daily to label proliferating cells during the 2 weeks of intervention.
RESULTS: The CIMT-EE group showed better fall rate in the horizontal ladder rung
walking test (mean 5.4%, SD 3.6%) than either the control (mean 14.3%, SD 7.3%; p
= 0.001) or enriched-environment (mean 12.4%, SD 7.7%; p = 0.010) groups 2 weeks
after the end of intervention. The CIMT-EE group also showed more neurogenesis
(mean 7069 cells/mm(3), SD 4017 cells/mm(3)) than either the control group (mean
1555 cells/mm(3), SD 1422 cells/mm(3); p < 0.001) or enriched-environment group
(mean 2994 cells/mm(3), SD 3498 cells/mm(3); p = 0.001) in the subventricular
zone. In the striatum, neurogenesis in the CIMT-EE group (mean 534 cells/mm(3),
SD 441 cells/mm(3)) was greater than in the control group (mean 95 cells/mm(3),
SD 133 cells/mm(3); p = 0.001). INTERPRETATION: There was CIMT-EE enhanced
neurogenesis in the brain along with functional benefits in mice after early
hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. This is the first study to demonstrate the effects
of CIMT on neurogenesis and functional recovery after experimental injury to an
immature brain

Langue : ANGLAIS