title: Motor nerve conduction velocity and nerve fibre diameter in experimental protein deprivation. Studies on rat peripheral nerve during development.
abstract: Motor nerve conduction velocity (MCV) and nerve fibre calibre spectra of peripheral nerves were determined at different ages, during development in normal and protein-deprived rats. The protein deprivation was achieved by feeding female rats a protein deficient diet. Compared to control rats which were given a balanced diet, given ad lib from 2 weeks before conception and onwards. After weaning, the offspring were fed the same protein-deficient diet, the protein-deprived rats showed considerably reduced body weights but moderately reduced values of albumin and total protein in serum at 6 and 15 weeks of age. Although essentially the same, the mean nerve fibre diameter of the studied dorsal tail nerve was slightly larger in the protein-deprived rats at 6 weeks of age than in controls, while the inverse relationship was found at 15 weeks of age. The increase of MCV in normal and protein-deprived rats followed essentially the same curve during the period from 5-30 weeks of age. The results indicate that the MCV and nerve fibre diameter during development are correlated to chronological age and not to body size, although protein deprivation may, to a minor extent, influence nerve fibre calibre growth.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009431:Neural Conduction; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011488:Protein Deficiency / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D012709:Serum Albumin