Reduced capability of transmitting high frequency impulses in tail nerves of diabetic rats.
The effect of long-term (40 min) high frequency stimulation (143 Hz) of sensory-motor tail nerves was studied in normal and in streptozotocin-diabetic rats. The study comprised a 6-week period, repeating the test at 2-week intervals. In the initial (prediabetic) study, single experiments showed a mild depression of the peak-to-peak amplitude during high frequency stimulation, which reversed completely during a subsequent rest period. In normal rats, the amplitude depression was unchanged in repeated tests over a 6-week period. Diabetic rats showed a greater amplitude depression during high frequency stimulation. The difference was statistically significant after 2 weeks, but showed no further change at subsequent tests. The greater decrease in the amplitude in diabetic rats may reflect a depression of the axon membrane function, which may be the functional correlate to the inhibition of the Na/K ATPase activity in diabetes, described by others. Monitoring of the axon membrane functional capacity may have clinical implications in the control of peripheral neuropathies.
Nielsen
J F
JF
Department of Neurophysiology, Arhus University Hospital, Denmark.
Andersen
H
H
Nielsen
V K
VK
D000200:Action Potentials; D000818:Animals; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013311:Streptozocin; D013623:Tail / Q000294:innervation / Q000503:physiopathology*
D013311:Streptozocin