Robinson G A, Goldberger M E
Exp Brain Res. 1986;62(2):373-86. doi: 10.1007/BF00238857.
Normal development of motor function was compared to that of cats with spinal transections at birth (newborn operates) or at approximately two weeks after birth (two week operates). Newborn operates expressed motor behavior not seen until sometime later in normal newborn cats, suggesting that this behavior is normally suppressed by descending systems in newborn cats. After reaching adulthood, the motor performance of newborn operates surpassed that of both two week operates and chronic adult operates (cats with spinal cord transection in adulthood), suggesting that the earlier transection occurs, the greater the recovery of motor function. Transection at birth may alter the course of spinal cord development, accounting for the differences in motor performance among the three age groups.
将运动功能的正常发育与出生时（新生手术组）或出生后约两周（两周手术组）进行脊髓横断的猫的发育情况进行了比较。新生手术组表现出正常新生猫直到稍后某个时间才会出现的运动行为，这表明这种行为在正常新生猫中通常受到下行系统的抑制。成年后，新生手术组的运动表现超过了两周手术组和成年慢性手术组（成年期进行脊髓横断的猫），这表明脊髓横断发生得越早，运动功能的恢复就越大。出生时的横断可能会改变脊髓发育的进程，这解释了三个年龄组之间运动表现的差异。
