Locomotor recovery promoted by sensorimotor training and the graft of fibroblasts genetically engineered to produce BDNF and NT3 in the injured cat spinal cord

Studies that have compared locomotion in the adult cat hindlimb before and after spinal transection have found that "despite a few differences, the spinal cord and the hind limbs afferents are capable of generating very good locomotor patterns with almost normal kinematics" when the animals are submitted to a daily regimen of treadmill walking. We are trying to enhance motor recovery in the hindlimbs by promoting axonal regeneration through the implantation of fibroblasts genetically modified to produce neurotrophins.