Unrestrained walking in cats with partial spinal lesions

Abstract

In four cats with partial spinal lesions, performed at a low thoracic level, involving ventral quadrants and, to a different extent, the dorsolateral funiculi, several parameters of locomotion were analyzed during unrestrained walking at moderate speed (0.3-1.0 m/s). Special attention was paid to the analysis of support patterns and the durations of support phases in step cycles. The operated subjects displayed a much greater variability of support patterns than intact cats as well as changes in the relative duration of some support phases. The most striking difference was an increase in the relative duration of support on two homolateral limbs accompanied by a reduction of support on diagonal limbs. These changes were mainly due to an impairment of fore-hindlimb coordination as shown by an increase in the phase shifts between the movements of diagonal limbs. Other parameters of locomotion were essentially unaltered, except for cats in which the lesion destroyed bilaterally major portions of the dorsolateral funiculi.