Fig. 1. Histograms of neurologic score and number of normal neurons per animal in the six experimental groups. Hind limb motor function was assessed using Tarlov scoring (0 = paraplegic with no lower extremity function; 1 = poor lower extremity function, weak antigravity movement only; 2 = some lower extremity motor function with good antigravity strength but inability to draw legs under body or hop; 3 = ability to draw legs under body and hop but not normally; 4 = normal motor function). Animals in the ischemic preconditioning (IPC)(−) group received 17 min of spinal cord ischemia, and those in the IPC(+) group received 5 min of sublethal ischemia 30 min before 17 min of spinal cord ischemia. In the sham group, the aorta was not occluded.