Modification of the Ladder Rung Walking Task—New Options for Analysis of Skilled Movements

Figure 2

Limb placement and accuracy in inclined ladder rung walking. Horizontal (zero inclination), upward, and downward walking across the rung ladder were analyzed using qualitative ratings for limb placement and accuracy (foot fault score), and quantitative analysis (error rate in stepping), evaluated for each limb before and after focal photothrombotic lesion undertaken in the respective areas of the motor cortex of both right forelimb and hind limb. Lesion-related motor deficits of the hind limb were most sensitively detected in inclined walking. H: horizontal ladder, U: upward ladder, D: downward ladder, B: baseline, PI 7: postischemic day 7, PI 28: postischemic day 28, LFL: left forelimb, RFL: right forelimb, RHL: right hind limb, LHL: left hind limb. ^oneredstars𝑃<0.05, ^tworedstars𝑃<0.01 versus baseline, ^red#𝑃<0.05, ^red##𝑃<0.01 versus PI 7; *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 versus H, ^#P < 0.05, ^##P < 0.01 versus U.