Acrylamide preferentially affects slowly adapting cutaneous mechanoreceptors.
Acrylamide (ACR) is a vinyl monomer which produces a distal axonopathy. Several investigators have shown that ACR produces deficits in proprioception. This deficit appears to result in part from altered muscle spindle function. ACR also produces deficits in cutaneous sensory perception. The purpose of these experiments was to determine whether ACR alters cutaneous sensory receptors. Cats were administered ACR (30 mg/kg) for either 3, 5, or 10 days. Following the last injection, the tibial nerve was isolated and four different mechanoreceptor types were isolated. These were field, rapid adapting (RA), and slowly adapting type 1 and type 2. The frequency response of the slowly adapting receptors was normal. However, the number of slowly adapting receptors identified was significantly reduced in all three ACR-treated groups. There was also a decrease in the number of field receptors after 10 day ACR administration. The total number of receptors per tibial nerve was unchanged in the ACR 3- and ACR 5-day groups but was significantly reduced in the ACR 10-day group. These data show a preferential effect of ACR on slowly adapting receptors early in the neuropathy. However, the reduction in field receptors and the total number of receptors at 10 days suggests that ACR eventually affects all mechanoreceptors in the tibial nerve.
D020106:Acrylamide; D000178:Acrylamides / Q000633:toxicity*; D000220:Adaptation, Biological; D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D008465:Mechanoreceptors / Q000187:drug effects*; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects*; D013979:Tibial Nerve / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors
D000178:Acrylamides; D020106:Acrylamide