The long term goals of this research are to use our rat injury model of cumulative trauma disorder (CTD) to examine the interaction between multiple risk factors that contribute to the development of CTD and to investigate interventions to prevent and reverse work-related musculoskeletal disorders. In this five-year study, we will address three specific aims: 1) to determine the effects of a voluntary low force task performed at low, medium and high repetition rates on motor behavior and pathophysiological outcomes of forelimb and central nervous system tissues; 2) to determine the effects of a voluntary low repetition task performed at low, medium and high force levels of exertion on motor behavior and pathophysiological outcomes of forelimb and central nervous system tissues; and 3) to determine the effects of voluntary task regimens performed at a range of repetition rate and force level combinations on motor behavior and pathophysiological outcomes of forelimb and central nervous system tissues. The objectives for each specific aim are: A) to determine the extent to which the task regimens causes direct mechanical injury to musculoskeletal, peripheral nerve and surrounding connective tissues; B) to determine the extent to which the task regimens stimulate inflammatory cells and inflammatory processes locally and systemically; C) to determine the extent to which the task regimens result in neuroplasticity in the spinal cord and nucleus cuneatus of the brainstem; and D) to determine the extent to which the task regimens cause motor performance and movement pattern changes and their chronological relationship to the peripheral and central tissue changes. Adult rats (360 experimental and 54 controls) will be trained to grasp and pull a small handle at a pre-defined repetition rate- force level combination including 9 permutations ranging from low (1 reach/45 s), to medium (1 reach/30 s), to high (1 reach/15 s) repetition rates and from low (0.2 N), to medium (0.7 N), to high (1.2 N) force levels for 2 hrs/day, three days/wk for up to 8 weeks. At biweekly endpoints, they will undergo testing for video motion analysis of the forepaw, grip strength, forehead sticker removal, and median nerve conduction velocity. They will then be euthanized for examination of muscular, tendinosynovial, skeletal, and neural tissues both local and proximal to the trained forepaw using haematoxylin and immunohistochemical staining and ELISA techniques. Tract tracing will be used to examine reorganization of sensory afferents from the forelimb to the spinal cord and the dorsal column nuclei. Comparisons will be made between the trained and untrained forelimbs and hindlimb tissues used as internal controls, and between trained forelimbs and those of trained and untrained controls. Changes will be monitored across weeks of task performance as well as with increasing repetition rate-force level exposure. Many questions remain about the interaction of task repetition rate and force level in the development of CTD. A more precise understanding of these effects will help to guide therapeutic strategies for preventive and early care of affected individuals, rehabilitation approaches for subacute and chronic cases, and prevention of chronic disability.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01OH003970-05
Application #
6757980
Study Section
Safety and Occupational Health Study Section (SOH)
Program Officer
Frederick, Linda J
Project Start
2000-06-01
Project End
2006-05-31
Budget Start
2004-06-01
Budget End
2006-05-31
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2004
Total Cost
$290,777
Indirect Cost
Name
Temple University
Department
Other Health Professions
Type
Schools of Allied Health Profes
DUNS #
057123192
City
Philadelphia
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
19122
Barbe, Mary F; Gallagher, Sean; Massicotte, Vicky S et al. (2013) The interaction of force and repetition on musculoskeletal and neural tissue responses and sensorimotor behavior in a rat model of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 14:303
Kietrys, David M; Barr-Gillespie, Ann E; Amin, Mamta et al. (2012) Aging contributes to inflammation in upper extremity tendons and declines in forelimb agility in a rat model of upper extremity overuse. PLoS One 7:e46954
Kietrys, David M; Barr, Ann E; Barbe, Mary F (2011) Exposure to repetitive tasks induces motor changes related to skill acquisition and inflammation in rats. J Mot Behav 43:465-76
Xin, Dong L; Harris, Michelle Y; Wade, Christine K et al. (2011) Aging enhances serum cytokine response but not task-induced grip strength declines in a rat model of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 12:63
Driban, Jeffrey B; Barr, Ann E; Amin, Mamta et al. (2011) Joint inflammation and early degeneration induced by high-force reaching are attenuated by ibuprofen in an animal model of work-related musculoskeletal disorder. J Biomed Biotechnol 2011:691412
Fedorczyk, Jane M; Barr, Ann E; Rani, Shobha et al. (2010) Exposure-dependent increases in IL-1beta, substance P, CTGF, and tendinosis in flexor digitorum tendons with upper extremity repetitive strain injury. J Orthop Res 28:298-307
Coq, Jacques-Olivier; Barr, Ann E; Strata, Fabrizio et al. (2009) Peripheral and central changes combine to induce motor behavioral deficits in a moderate repetition task. Exp Neurol 220:234-45
Elliott, M B; Barr, A E; Clark, B D et al. (2009) High force reaching task induces widespread inflammation, increased spinal cord neurochemicals and neuropathic pain. Neuroscience 158:922-31
Elliott, Melanie B; Barr, Ann E; Kietrys, David M et al. (2008) Peripheral neuritis and increased spinal cord neurochemicals are induced in a model of repetitive motion injury with low force and repetition exposure. Brain Res 1218:103-13
Barbe, Mary F; Elliott, Melanie B; Abdelmagid, Samir M et al. (2008) Serum and tissue cytokines and chemokines increase with repetitive upper extremity tasks. J Orthop Res 26:1320-6

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