Three-dimensional motion analysis of postural adjustments during over-ground locomotion in a rat model of Parkinson's disease

Postural instability, a symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients, leads to frequent falls and difficulty in forward motion during gait. These motor deficits are mainly caused by neurodegenerative processes in the brain leading to reduced levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Postural studies involving animal models of PD are mainly based on movement scores or descriptive approaches to discerning differences in behaviour or function. Our aim was to describe postural adjustments in a rat model of PD utilising a quantitative three dimensional motion analysis technique during gait to investigate the effects of unilateral dopamine depletion on rat locomotion while walking on beams of varying widths (wide, narrow and graduated). Tail orientation, limb positions on the beam, range of motion and kinematic waveforms of the Roll, Pitch and Yaw of male Lister Hooded rats were investigated using passive markers placed in locations that were representative of their body axis. Hemiparkinsonian rats moved on the wide beam with a significantly higher Roll range of motion coupled with a positively biased Roll kinematic waveform during one gait cycle. While walking on the narrow beam they displayed an increased use of the ledge and placed their tail towards the right. These results are brought about by the rats' inability to shift body posture using the impaired limb. Our data demonstrate that marker-based motion capture can provide an effective and simple approach to quantifying postural adjustments for rat models of PD. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.