Animal studies in cats and monkeys have demonstrated that reaching movements are less influenced than finger manipulations after spinal pyramidotomy (i.e., surgical severance of the direct pathway [i.e., pyramidal tract] by creating a partial lesion of the lateral funiculus) at the C5 level [13, 14].
However, in a study of monkeys involving pyramidotomy, it was shown that the animal could pinch food pellets with the index finger and thumb after a recovery period [13, 14].
We did that in a rat model of unilateral
pyramidotomy. We injected an AAV serotype 1 overexpressing either the FGFR1 or mCherry as control one week prior to the injury into the sensorimotor cortex supplying the CST that will be left intact.
In a recent article in the Journal of Neuroscience Nursing titled, "Neurosurgery for Movement Disorders," the author (Tornqvist, 2001) indicated that open brain surgery for movement disorders began in the 1930s and included partial resection of the motor cortex,
pyramidotomy, resection of the head of the caudate nuclei, and transection of the ansa leticularis.
Open brain surgery started in the 1930s and included partial resections of the motor cortex,
pyramidotomy, resection of the head of caudate nuclei, and transsection of the ansa lenticularis.