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Home / Equine Research Bank / J Vet Med Sci / Sex differences in cervical spinal cord and spinal canal dev...
The Journal of veterinary medical science2022; 84(10); 1363-1367; doi: 10.1292/jvms.22-0234

Sex differences in cervical spinal cord and spinal canal development in Thoroughbred horses.

Abstract: Cervical vertebral stenotic myelopathy (CVSM), a common cause of cervical spinal cord compression, is a neurological disease characterized by general proprioceptive ataxia and weakness of hindlimbs that tends to develop in young adult Thoroughbred horses. Although male horses seem to be at increased risk for CVSM, the mechanism for the occurrence of sex differences in the prevalence of CVSM is still poorly understood. Hence, we hypothesized that sex differences in the development of cervical spinal cord and spinal canal would affect the development of CVSM. This study aimed to evaluate sex differences in the development of cervical spinal cord and spinal canal in Thoroughbred horses. A total of 29 Thoroughbred horses underwent computed tomographic myelography. Thereafter, the volumes of cervical spinal cord and spinal canal were calculated. Accordingly, male horses had significantly lager cervical spinal cord volume and cervical spinal cord-to-spinal canal volume ratio than those of female horses (P<0.05). Sex differences in the cervical spinal cord-to-spinal canal volume ratio gradually decreased until around 1,400 days of age. Younger male horses have narrower interspace between the cervical spinal cord and spinal canal than younger female horses, suggesting that an imbalanced cervical spinal cord and spinal canal growth is one of the causes of CVSM.
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Publication Date: 2022-08-10 PubMed ID: 35944983PubMed Central: PMC9586035DOI: 10.1292/jvms.22-0234Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article discusses the possibility of a correlation between the development of cervical spinal cord and spinal canal in Thoroughbred horses and the prevalence of cervical vertebral stenotic myelopathy (CVSM), a common type of neurological disease in the species. It suggests that differences in these developmental aspects may be more significant in male horses, contributing to their increased risk of CVSM.

Introduction

  • The study was conducted to further explore evidence that points towards an increased risk of CVSM in male Thoroughbred horses as compared to female Thoroughbred horses.
  • CVSM is a neurological disease characterized by a compression of the cervical spinal cord. This often leads to general proprioceptive ataxia and back limb weakness.
  • The researchers hypothesised that sex differences in cervical spinal cord and spinal canal development could be the reason behind the higher prevalence of CVSM in male horses.

Methodology

  • The study used computed tomographic myelography examinations in a total of 29 Thoroughbred horses to gather information about their cervical spinal cord and spinal canal volumes.
  • These volumes were used to calculate the ratio of cervical spinal cord to spinal canal volume in the horses.

Findings

  • The results showed that male horses have a significantly larger cervical spinal cord volume and cervical spinal cord-to-spinal canal volume ratio compared to female horses.
  • The sex differences in the cervical spinal cord-to-spinal canal volume ratio were found to decrease gradually until around 1,400 days of age.
  • It was also established that younger male horses have a narrower space between the cervical spinal cord and spinal canal than younger female horses.

Interpretation

  • The findings suggest an imbalanced growth in the cervical spinal cord and spinal canal is potentially one of the causes of CVSM.
  • This imbalance, demonstrated by the larger cervical spinal cord volume and cervical spinal cord-to-spinal canal volume ratio in male Thoroughbred horses, could be the contributing factor to the higher prevalence of CVSM in this sex.

Cite This Article

APA
Kondo T, Sato F, Tsuzuki N, Yamada K. (2022). Sex differences in cervical spinal cord and spinal canal development in Thoroughbred horses. J Vet Med Sci, 84(10), 1363-1367. https://doi.org/10.1292/jvms.22-0234

Publication

The Journal of veterinary medical science
ISSN: 1347-7439
NlmUniqueID: 9105360
Country: Japan
Language: English
Volume: 84
Issue: 10
Pages: 1363-1367

Researcher Affiliations

Kondo, Taro
  • School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Kanagawa, Japan.
Sato, Fumio
  • Equine Research Institute, Japan Racing Association, Tochigi, Japan.
Tsuzuki, Nao
  • Department of Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido, Japan.
Yamada, Kazutaka
  • School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Kanagawa, Japan.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Cervical Cord / diagnostic imaging
  • Female
  • Horse Diseases / etiology
  • Horses
  • Male
  • Sex Characteristics
  • Spinal Canal / diagnostic imaging
  • Spinal Cord Compression / etiology
  • Spinal Cord Compression / veterinary
  • Spinal Cord Diseases / veterinary
  • Spinal Stenosis / complications
  • Spinal Stenosis / veterinary

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Citations

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