Recently, we want to challenge mouse spinal cord motor neurons with toxic chemicals in vivo, can we apply the chemicals by intracerebroventricular injection? We are wondering if the CSF can take the chemicals to the spinal cord to direct the motor neurons.
Movement of CSF from the brain to the spinal cord direction. Therefore, your strategy is correct.
There is only a small amount CSF transported into spinal cord, so (1) most damage will be done to the brain, and (2) there will be no stress to the motoneurons in particular but to posterior horn and preganglionic autonomic neurons as well.
I would rather think about injecting an agent into muscles, lets say leg muscles, that will be transported retrogradely into motoneurons, so you would have controls in the same animal, i.e., in other segments and in the contralateral anterior horn.
Why not try a more direct injection site? I would look to administer the drug right where I want it to be...otherwise you will have to consider its activity elsewhere in your analysis. Maybe injection between vertebrae? I would consult the literature and see what methods have been done.
Chronic or acute "stress" ? how do you define it ? severe - moderate - mild ?
Not all stressors are equal and you should decide what is your end goal. Rigourous excercise is a stressor, toxins are stressors (those also come in various "flavors")
While these questions seem academic, they will result in veru different outcomes and you need to define what you are trying to achieve for a good experiment.
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