Motor and somatosensory evoked potentials in mice infected with Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus

• Published in: Journal of the neurological sciences Vol. 123; no. 1; pp. 186 - 194
• Main Authors: Iuliano, Brian A., Schmelzer, James D., Thiemann, Roger L., Low, Phillip A., Rodriguez, Moses
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier B.V 01.05.1994; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Conduction; Demyelination; Electric Stimulation; Electrodiagnosis. Electric activity recording; Electrophysiology; Evoked Potentials; Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory; Hindlimb - innervation; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Medical sciences; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Motor Neurons - physiology; Multiple sclerosis; Muscles - innervation; Myelin; Nervous system; Neural Conduction; Neurophysiology; Poliomyelitis - pathology; Poliomyelitis - physiopathology; Reference Values; Spinal cord; Spinal Cord - pathology; Spinal Cord - physiology; Spinal Cord - physiopathology; Theilovirus; Time Factors; Conduction; Multiple sclerosis; Spinal cord; Demyelination; Myelin; Electrophysiology; Neurophysiology; Animal model; Nervous system diseases; Encephalomyelitis; Exploration; Infection; Electrodiagnosis; In vivo; Experimental disease; Evoked potential; Animal; Viral disease; Technique; Somatosensory evoked potential
• ISSN: 0022-510X; 1878-5883
• DOI: 10.1016/0022-510X(94)90222-4

We used an in vivo technique to record spinal motor and somatosensory evoked potentials in SJL/J and B10 mice chronically (4–10 months) infected with Daniel's strain of Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV). SJL/J mice demonstrated primary spinal cord demyelination with chronic TMEV infection, whereas B10 mice were resistant to TMEV induced demyelination. Analysis based on the velocity of the initial peak of evoked responses demonstrated significantly slower conduction velocities in infected SJL/J mice as compared to age-matched uninfected SJL/J controls ( p < 0.01) and infected B10 mice ( p < 0.01). We noted no significant differences in conduction velocities of spinal evoked potentials recorded between uninfected SJL/J mice, uninfected B10 mice and infected B10 mice. Chronic infection with TMEV in susceptible SJL/J mice is associated with slowed conduction of spinal motor and somatosensory evoked potentials. This sensitive electrophysiologic assay will provide an in vivo method to test therapeutic regimens to inhibit demyelination or promote remyelination.