Extended Data Fig. 9: DBS^LH in rats with contusion SCI leads to immediate and durable improvements in walking even when DBS^LH is turned off.

a, Schematic of the experimental scheme demonstrating electrical stimulation of the LH (DBS^LH) in rats with contusion SCI at T9. Middle, Representative image demonstrating electrode location in the LH. Bar graph demonstrates significant increase in cFos positive cells in the LH with stimulation (n = 4 no DBS, n = 5 DBS; independent samples two-tailed t-test; t = 3.741; p-value = 0.0073). The stimulation was well-tolerated by all rats, as evidenced by no significant difference in grimace score (n = 6 per group; paired samples two-tailed t-test; t = 0.2548; p-value = 0.8090). b, Kinematic analysis of uninjured rats following increasing amplitudes of DBS^LH. Walking was quantified using principal component analysis as described in Fig. 1c and Extended Data Fig. 1c (n ≥ 10 gait cycles per rat, n = 3 rats). c, As in b, for rats after contusion SCI (n ≥ 10 gait cycles per rat, n = 7 rats in the uninjured group, n = 6 rats in the contusion group). Statistics are provided in Supplementary Data 1. d, As in b, for rats after contusion SCI and acute activation of DBS^LH at five weeks post-SCI (n ≥ 10 gait cycles per rat, n = 6 rats per group). Statistics are provided in Supplementary Data 1. e, As in b, for rats after contusion SCI and rehabilitation enabled by DBS^LH (n ≥ 10 gait cycles per rat, n = 5 rats in SCI group, n = 4 rats in SCI + Rehab group). Statistics are provided in Supplementary Data 1. f, As in b, for rats after contusion SCI with rehabilitation, and acute activation of DBS^LH after rehabilitation (n ≥ 10 gait cycles per rat, n = 4 rats per group). Statistics are provided in Supplementary Data 1.