Reduced urinary bladder afferent conduction velocities in streptozocin diabetic rats.
Previous experiments in our laboratory have described the method used to measure the conduction velocity distribution of a selected group of fibers (Brain Res., 520 (1990) 83-89). We have applied this technique to the 2 month streptozotocin-diabetic rat. Glycosylated hemoglobin values measured at the time of death were 17.19 +/- 4.74% (diabetic, n = 8) and 4.07 +/- 0.74% (controls, n = 6). Diabetic bladders were thicker and heavier. The wet weights were 0.50 +/- 0.11 g (diabetic, n = 7) and 0.16 +/- 0.01 g (controls, n = 6). The conduction velocities of a total of 151 and 86 single afferent fibers were measured in the diabetic and control animals respectively. The conduction velocity distribution of the diabetics showed a shift towards slower speeds when compared to controls. The mean conduction velocities were 1.70 m/s for diabetics and 2.84 m/s for controls. The percent of units with conduction velocities greater than 2.5 m/s was 17.2 for diabetics and 36.0 for controls. This experiment demonstrates, for the first time, that diabetes causes a significant reduction of afferent conduction velocities in a functionally well-defined system.
Nadelhaft
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VA Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA.
Vera
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PL
D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology*; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000294:innervation* / Q000502:physiology
D001786:Blood Glucose