TY - JOUR

T1 - Comparative electrophysiological, functional, and histological studies of nerve lesions in rats

AU - Wolthers, M

AU - Moldovan, M

AU - Binderup, T

AU - Schmalbruch, H

AU - Krarup, C

N1 - Keywords: Action Potentials; Animals; Female; Gait; Nerve Regeneration; Neural Conduction; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Recovery of Function; Sciatic Nerve; Sciatic Neuropathy

PY - 2005

Y1 - 2005

N2 - The aim of this study was to establish a nerve lesion model to compare serial electrophysiological and functional outcome measures with histological findings. The relative significance of the parameters in lesions of diverse severity, the time course of recovery, and the tools for serial longitudinal studies after nerve lesions were studied in rats. We compared weekly electrophysiological and functional studies for 100 or 150 days in rats after crush or section/suture of the sciatic nerve at midthigh level. Finally, tibial nerves were taken for histology. We confirmed that recovery was faster and more complete in nerves regenerating after crush than after section, irrespective of method of evaluation. Furthermore, continuous maturational changes occurred in control nerves, and such continuous growth-related changes should be taken into account when evaluating maturational changes during nerve regeneration. A lack of correlation between evaluation methods supports that functional, morphological, and physiological parameters show different aspects of the recovery process after nerve lesions, and that these outcome measures should be included separately in therapeutic studies.

AB - The aim of this study was to establish a nerve lesion model to compare serial electrophysiological and functional outcome measures with histological findings. The relative significance of the parameters in lesions of diverse severity, the time course of recovery, and the tools for serial longitudinal studies after nerve lesions were studied in rats. We compared weekly electrophysiological and functional studies for 100 or 150 days in rats after crush or section/suture of the sciatic nerve at midthigh level. Finally, tibial nerves were taken for histology. We confirmed that recovery was faster and more complete in nerves regenerating after crush than after section, irrespective of method of evaluation. Furthermore, continuous maturational changes occurred in control nerves, and such continuous growth-related changes should be taken into account when evaluating maturational changes during nerve regeneration. A lack of correlation between evaluation methods supports that functional, morphological, and physiological parameters show different aspects of the recovery process after nerve lesions, and that these outcome measures should be included separately in therapeutic studies.

U2 - 10.1002/micr.20156

DO - 10.1002/micr.20156

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 16145683

VL - 25

SP - 508

EP - 519

JO - International Journal of Microsurgery

JF - International Journal of Microsurgery

SN - 0738-1085

IS - 6

ER -