University of Lethbridge

Selected Publications

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Selected Publications in Peer-reviewed Journals
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Z'Graggen WJ*, Metz GAS*, Kartje GL, Schwab ME (1998) Functional recovery and enhanced corticofugal plasticity after unilateral pyramidal tract section and blockade of myelin-associated neurite growth inhibitors in adult rats. Journal of Neuroscience 18(12): 4744-4757.

Thallmair M, Metz GAS, Z'Graggen WJ, Kartje GL, Schwab ME (1998) Neurite growth inhibitors restrict plasticity and functional recovery following corticospinal tract lesions. Nature Neuroscience 1(2): 124-131.

Metz GAS, Curt A, van de Meent H, Klusmann I, Schwab ME, Dietz V (2000) Validation of the weight-drop contusion model in rats: a comparative study of human spinal cord injury. Journal of Neurotrauma 17(1): 1-17.

Metz GAS, Merkler D, Dietz V, Schwab ME, Fouad K (2000) Efficient testing of motor function in spinal cord injured rats. Brain Research 883(2): 165-177.

Metz GAS, Schwab ME, Welzl H (2001) The effects of acute and chronic stress on motor and sensory performance in male Lewis rats. Physiology and Behavior 72(1-2): 29-35.

Metz GAS, Farr T, Ballermann M, Whishaw IQ (2001) Chronic levodopa therapy does not improve skilled reach accuracy or reach range on a pasta matrix reaching task in 6-OHDA dopamine-depleted (hemi-Parkinson analogue) rats. European Journal of Neuroscience 14(1): 27-37.

Metz GA, Whishaw IQ (2002) Drug-induced rotation intensity in unilateral dopamine-depleted rats is not correlated with end-point or qualitative measures of forelimb or hindlimb motor performance. Neuroscience 111(2): 325-336.

Metz GA, Whishaw IQ (2002) Cortical and subcortical lesions impair skilled walking in the ladder rung walking test: a new task to evaluate fore- and hindlimb stepping, placing, and co-ordination. Journal of Neuroscience Methods 115(2): 169-179.

Metz GA, Schwab ME (2004) Behavioral characterization in a comprehensive mouse test battery reveals motor and sensory impairments in growth-associated protein-43 null mutant mice. Neuroscience 129(3): 563-574.

Metz GA, Antonow-Schlorke I, Witte OW (2005) Motor improvements after focal cortical ischemia in adult rats are mediated by compensatory mechanisms. Behavioural Brain Research 162(1): 71-82.

Metz GA, Tse A, Ballermann M, Smith LK, Fouad K (2005) The unilateral 6-OHDA rat model of Parkinson's disease revisited: An electromyographic and behavioural analysis. European Journal of Neuroscience 22(3): 735-744.

Metz GA, Jadavji NM, Smith LK (2005) Modulation of motor system function by stress: A novel concept of the effects of stress and corticosterone on behavior. European Journal of Neuroscience 22(5): 1190-1200.

Jadavji NM, Kolb B, Metz GA (2006) Enriched environment improves motor function in intact and dopamine-depleted rats: implications for Parkinson's disease. Neuroscience 140(4): 1127-1138.

Faraji J, Metz GA (2007) Sequential bilateral striatal lesions have additive effects on single skilled limb use in rats. Behavioural Brain Research, 177(2): 195-204.

Girgis J, Kirkland SW, Merrett D, Metz GA, Verge V, Fouad K (2007) Reaching training in rats with cervical spinal cord injury promotes plasticity and task-specific recovery. Brain 130(Pt 11): 2993-3003.

Faraji J, Lehman H, Metz GA, Sutherland RJ (2008) Rats with hippocampal lesion show impaired learning and memory in the ziggurat task: a new task to evaluate spatial behavior. Behavioural Brain Research 189(1): 17-31.

Kirkland SW, Coma AK, Colwell KL, Metz GA (2008) Delayed recovery and exaggerated lesion size by post-lesion stress in a rat model of focal cerebral stroke. Brain Research 1202: 151-160.

Smith LK, Jadavji NM, Colwell KL, Perehudoff SK, Metz GA (2008) Stress accelerates neural degeneration and exaggerates motor symptoms in a rat model of Parkinson's disease. European Journal of Neuroscience 27: 2133-2146.

Selected Book Chapters
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Kolb B, Metz GA (2003) Animal models of brain plasticity and behavioral change. In: Handbook of Neuropsychology, Volume 9 (J Grafman, IH Robertson, eds). Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 139-152.

Metz GA, Kolb B, Whishaw IQ (2005) Neuropsychological tests. In: The Behavior of the Laboratory Rat. A Handbook with Tests (IQ Whishaw, B Kolb, eds). Oxford University Press, pp 475-498.

Metz GA, Faraji J (2008) Growth inhibitory molecules in nervous system development and regeneration. In: Encyclopedia of Neuroscience (Binder MD, Hirokawa N, Windhorst U, eds). Springer Verlag, Heidelberg (invited contribution).

In The Media

U of L Neuroscientist Seeks to Determine if Stress and Stress Hormones Impact Motor Recovery After a Stroke; Legend; January 2006.

Analyzing Parkinson's; AHFMR Research News; Spring 2003.

Current Research and Creative Activity

Title	Location	Grant Information	Principal Investigator	Co Researchers
Functional and neurochemical correlates of the pathology of Parkinson's disease		CFI, 2004-09.	Gerlinde Metz, U of L
Modulation of recovery from stroke by stress		Canadian Institutes of Health Research, 2005-10.	Gerlinde Metz, U of L
Preterm birth and health outcomes team		AHFMR, 2008-13.	David Olson, U of A; Suzanne Touch, U of C
The impact of stress on motor system function and disease		AHFMR, Senior Scholar, 2008-15.	Gerlinde Metz, U of L
The origin and organization of compensation in the motor system		Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), 2004-09.	Gerlinde Metz, U of L

Previous Research

Title	Grant Agency	Completion Date
The role of stress in the pathology of Parkinson's disease	National Institutes of Health (NINDS)	2006
Functional and neurochemical correlates of the pathology of Parkinson's disease	Canada Foundation for Innovation	2005
Physiological influences on recovery from stroke	Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada	2006
Recovery: Novel approaches to stimulating recovery from stroke	Networks of Centres of Excellence, Canadian Stroke Network	2008
Physiological influences on the pathology of Parkinson's disease	Canadian Institutes of Health Research	2008
Environmental and physiological aspects in the pathology of Parkinson's disease	Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research	2008

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