Serial nerve conduction and electromyographic studies in experimental allergic neuritis.
Experimental allergic neuritis (EAN) was produced in ten guinea pigs by intradermal injection of peripheral nerve antigen and complete Freund's adjuvant. Six additional animals were injected with adjuvant only, and three control animals received saline. Slowing of motor nerve conduction velocity occurred in all animals ijected with antigen. Velocities progressively decreased through the first six weeks, at which time they started increasing, returning to the normal range in the third month. Six of the animals--generally those having received the greatest amount of antigen and adjuvant--developed severe encephalomyelitis and died early in the study. These animals also developed more severe peripheral nerve involvement, and conduction velocities decreased more than in mildly affected animals. Abnormal electromyographic findings were observed in all EAN animals surviving through the third week. Two of the six animals injected with complete adjuvant without antigen showed some minimal electromyographic changes. Several developed slight slowing of nerve conduction velocity during the first few weeks. Saline control animals had normal nerve conductions and electromyographic studies throughout the course of observation.
D000818:Animals; D001324:Autoantigens; D003711:Demyelinating Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004576:Electromyography; D005620:Freund's Adjuvant; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications*; D007271:Injections, Intradermal; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009431:Neural Conduction; D009443:Neuritis / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010525:Peripheral Nerves; D013997:Time Factors
D001324:Autoantigens; D005620:Freund's Adjuvant