An electrophysiological study of the early stages of peripheral nerve regeneration

• Published in: Experimental neurology Vol. 11; no. 1; pp. 48 - 60
• Main Authors: Jacobson, Stanley, Guth, Lloyd
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 1965
• Subjects: Electrophysiology; Nerve Regeneration; Neural Conduction; Old Medline; Peripheral Nerves; Rats; Regeneration; Sciatic Nerve; PERIPHERAL NERVES; ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY; REGENERATION; EXPERIMENTAL LAB STUDY; NEURAL CONDUCTION; RATS; SCIATIC NERVE
• ISSN: 0014-4886; 1090-2430
• DOI: 10.1016/0014-4886(65)90022-1

The sciatic nerve of adult rats was crushed at the sciatic notch and tested for nerve regeneration at intervals up to 56 days postoperatively. At the time of testing, the sciatic nerve was removed and immersed in mineral oil (37 C) in a chamber containing sixty-six parallel electrodes at 1 mm intervals. The proximal nerve end was stimulated with single shocks and the compound action potential recorded millimeter by millimeter down the nerve. Immediately postoperatively action potentials could be recorded no farther than 2 mm proximal to the lesion. By 4 days, potentials were observed up to 2 mm distal to the lesion. The rate of regeneration accelerated exponentially from an initial rate of 0.3 mm per day immediately postoperatively to 3.0 mm per day by 18 days. By the twenty-eighth postoperative day the nerve fibers had regenerated into the leg muscles. Although the amplitude of the action potentials increased steadily it was only 20% of normal by 56 days. The conduction velocity increased steadily to 75% of normal by 28 days and did not change during the ensuing 28 days.