Experimental cerebral palsy in animals and developmental plasticity

The perinatal period is considered critical for the development and maturation of the central nervous system. Early brain damage is related to the development of cerebral palsy (CP). CP is caused by a non-progressive and static lesion that affects the developing brain that results in disorders of movement, posture, and muscle tone, causing physical limitation, behavioral, and cognitive problems. Rodent models that involve brain damage during the perinatal period (pre, peri, and/or postnatal life) are relevant to the understanding of neurodevelopmental disorders. Prenatal inflammation, perinatal asphyxia, and sensorimotor restriction (SMR) of the hindlimb, when combined, reproduce the clinical phenotype of the diplegic CP. Assessing the effects of CP in animals is important in the understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease, and also favors the development of intervention strategies.