Local autoimmune reaction and behavioral abnormalities after repeated nerve injury: an experimental study.
Sciatic nerves of rats were submitted to single and repeated injuries. The animals' gait was used to study motor function; autophagia was used to study sensory effects. An association with local post-traumatic autoimmune reaction was sought, after histochemical studies of the nerves. Our results indicated that a preliminary nerve lesion had a slight but significant influence on the recovery observed after a subsequent injury: after secondary damage, motor recovery was slightly delayed and sensory abnormalities were suggested by significant increase in autophagia. A causal role of autoimmunization was suggested but not proven. An interpretation of autophagia is proposed.
de Medinaceli
L
L
National Institute of Mental Health, Saint Elizabeths Hospital, Washington, DC 20032.
Wyatt
R J
RJ
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D015551:Autoimmunity; D001343:Autophagy; D005684:Gait; D008297:Male; D009409:Nerve Crush; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000276:immunology / Q000293:injuries*