MotoRater Translational Relevance: From Rodents to Humans

26.08.2025 – 3min

From Preclinical Motion to Clinical Insight: Bridging the Translational Gap with 3D Kinematic Gait Analysis

Motor function is a critical parameter  in CNS drug development. Subtle changes in gait and posture often precede overt clinical symptoms in neurological and neurodegenerative diseases. Capturing these early deviations with precision can significantly accelerate therapeutic validation and improve translational outcomes.

The MotoRater system from TSE Systems applies  kinematic gait analysis, a method rooted in clinical biomechanics, to rodent models. This enables direct cross-species comparison and provides sensitive, objective data for decision-making in drug development.

Why Kinematic Gait Analysis Is Becoming Essential for Biomarker Discovery

This timeline graph illustrates how MotoRater enables significantly earlier detection of motor function deficits in a ALS model compared to conventional methods. Key parameters such as hind-toe height, tail tip height, and ankle metrics are detectable as early as 40–60 days, while conventional tests like rotarod and grip strength only show changes from 80–110 days onward. By capturing subtle gait and coordination shifts earlier, MotoRater supports more sensitive and timely insights—crucial for translational research and therapeutic intervention.

Preisig et al. Behavioral Brain Research

Traditional gait assessments rely on observation or footprint analysis, which often miss subtle motor impairments. In contrast, quantitative kinematic analysis tracks anatomical points such as paws, joints, and tail in three dimensions, revealing deviations long before symptoms become clinically evident.

This early detection opens a crucial window for intervention, by allowing:

Identify disease onset earlier

Monitor progression with high sensitivity

Identify drug effects earlier than traditional endpoints

Quantitative Gait Analysis Reveals Early Motor Deficits in Huntington’s Disease Mouse Models

Early Fine Motor Skill Impairment of R6/2 and zQ175 Knock In Mice of Huntington’s Disease, LARRY C. PARK2 et al

MotoRater records locomotion using:

  • High-speed camera including chessboard calibration
  • Mirror-based setup for simultaneous recording from 3 angels: ventral, left, right
  • Markerless tracking of over user-defined anatomical points
  • Quantification of 100+ kinematic parameters, including: joint angels, stride length, limb coordination, posture and trajectory

This setup ensures comprehensive biomechanical analysis while reducing stress and improving reproducibility.

MotoRater supports five locomotor tasks:

1. Overground walking — baseline gait

2. Horizontal ladder walking — skilled coordination

3. Beam walking (NEW modality) — balance and fine motor control

4. Wading — low-impact movement in shallow water

5. Swimming — non-weight-bearing locomotion

The ability to test animals in water is particularly valuable for evaluating severely impaired rodents that cannot support their body weight, expanding the range of detectable motor dysfunction.

Quantitative Analysis with TSE Motion Software

The integrated TSE Motion software, developed with Simi Reality Motion Systems, provides:

  • Automated parameters calculation
  • Side-by-side comparison across time points and treatment groups
  • Standardized protocols for advanced studies
  • Exportable datasets for statistical analysis and regulatory documentation

This workflow supports both exploratory research and formal preclinical studies.

Translational Relevance: From Rodents to Humans

Kinematic gait analysis in humans uses motion-capture cameras and reflective markerless tracking of joint movement. MotoRater applies the same principles to rodents, enabling direct comparison of biomechanical parameters across species.

This alignment supports:

  • Validation of animal models against human disease phenotypes
  • Quantitative proof-of-concept for novel therapeutics
  • Differentiation between true recovery and compensatory strategies

Such insights are essential for bridging the translational gap and improving clinical predictability.

MotoRater - animal researcher

Industry Application: Charles River’s Use of MotoRater in CNS Research

Charles River Laboratories has integrated the MotoRater system into its neuroscience research programs to enhance the sensitivity and translational relevance of motor function assessments in rodent models. Their work spans multiple CNS disease areas, including:

  • Huntington’s disease

  • Parkinson’s disease

  • Multiple sclerosis

  • Neuropathic pain

  • Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD)

  • ALS

  • Stroke

  • Spinal cord injury

  • Neuritis/ perineural inflammation

Case Study: Uncovering Hidden Motor Deficits with MotoRater

From drug-induced motor side effects to neuromuscular disease and pain models, MotoRater provides sensitive, kinematic insights beyond conventional assays – detecting subtle gait and coordination changes, tracking disease progression, and revealing therapeutic impact.

Pharmacological Motor Impairment Studies

In studies evaluating the effects of haloperidol and diazepam, MotoRater detected fine motor deficits that were not observable with conventional assays. Parameters such as toe clearance, stride duration, nose and iliac crest height, and paw trajectory shape showed statistically significant dose-dependent changes.

Neuromuscular Disease Models

In longitudinal studies of MDX mice (a model for DMD), Charles River used MotoRater to track gait changes over time and under treadmill training conditions. The study revealed the system’s ability to detect both exacerbation and mitigation of motor deficits, making it a valuable tool for evaluating therapeutic impact.

Pain Models and Functional Endpoints

CRL got a detailed gait analysis in rat models of spinal nerve ligation (SNL) and spared nerve injury (SNI), identifying motor abnormalities such as altered step cycles, disrupted limb coordination, jerking movements, and postural changes. This fine motor profiling reveals broader phenotypic shifts and supports the use of functional endpoints.

Pharmacological Motor Impairment Studies

Neuromuscular Disease Models

Pain Models and Functional Endpoints

Explore More: Webinars on MotoRater Applications

A Strategic Tool for Translational Success

Kinematic gait analysis with MotoRater is transforming how motor function is assessed in preclinical research. Its sensitivity, objectivity, and translational alignment make it a valuable asset for pharma and biotech teams working on CNS therapies.

Learn more and request a demo: Discover the Benefits of Using MotoRater for Rodent Gait Analysis – TSE Systems

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