Jaclyn Ann Witko

Date Approved

5-2-2017

Embargo Period

5-2-2017

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

MS Mechanical Engineering

Department

Mechanical Engineering

College

Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering

Advisor

Merrill, Thomas

Committee Member 1

Singh, Anita

Committee Member 2

Vernengo, Andrea J.

Keywords

Bioengineering Scaffold, H-Reflex, Spinal Cord Injury

Subject(s)

Rehabilitation technology; Tissue scaffolds

Disciplines

Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering

Abstract

Changes in monosynaptic reflex, often used to study spasticity, has been tested through the H-reflex in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients after rehabilitation training, such as body weight support treadmill training or cycling. The combinational effects of rehabilitation training and a bioengineered scaffold on spasticity in SCI animal model have not been studied. We used a clinically relevant animal model of spinal cord moderate contusion at T9/T10 with BWSTT and the bioengineered scaffold PNIPAAm-g-PEG loaded with the growth factors BDNF/NT-3 to measure the efficiency of the combinational bioengineered approach to treat spasticity. Five animal groups were included in the study: sham, injury, SCI + BWSTT, SCI + PNIPAAm-g-PEG with BDNF/NT-3 (Transplant), and SCI + BWSTT/PNIPAAm-g-PEG with BDNF/NT-3 (combinational). Results indicate that there was an increase in the over ground BBB test scores from the BWSTT, and combinational groups from weeks 6-8, but not in the transplant only or injury groups when compared to the sham. There was also a decrease in habituation of the H-reflex and restoration of rate depression properties in both the BWSTT and combinational groups.

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