Basso Mouse Scale for Locomotion Detects Differences in Recovery after Spinal Cord Injury in Five Common Mouse Strains

Genetically engineered mice are used extensively to examine molecular responses to spinal cord injury (SCI). Inherent strain differences may confound behavioral outcomes; therefore, behavioral characterization of several strains after SCI is warranted. The Basso, Beattie, Bresnahan Locomotor Rating Scale (BBB) for rats has been widely used for SCI mice, but may not accurately reflect their unique recovery pattern. This study's purpose was to develop a valid locomotor rating scale for mice and to identify strain differences in locomotor recovery after SCI. We examined C57BL/6, C57BL/10, B10.PL, BALB/c, and C57BL/6x129S6 F1 strains for 42 days after mild, moderate, and severe contusive SCI or transection of the…