The effect of duration of muscle denervation on functional recovery in the rat model.
The effect of long-term denervation on neuromuscular recovery was studied in a rat hind limb model. The posterior tibial nerve was transected and repaired immediately or after denervation periods of 2 weeks, or 1, 3, 6, 9, or 12 months. Six months following reconstruction excellent axonal regeneration was seen across all nerve repairs irrespective of periods of denervation. However, there was a precipitous and profound decrease in the recovery of both muscle mass and integrated motor function if the reconstruction was delayed for longer than 1 month. Rather than a progressive change proportional to the length of the denervation period, significant, more discrete changes occurred sometime after 1 month of denervation that precluded a full recovery of muscle mass. Integrated motor function quantified using walking track analysis was impaired even after immediate nerve repair.
Kobayashi
J
J
Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Mackinnon
S E
SE
Watanabe
O
O
Ball
D J
DJ
Gu
X M
XM
Hunter
D A
DA
Kuzon
W M
WM
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006614:Hindlimb; D008124:Locomotion / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009121:Muscle Denervation; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology; D009929:Organ Size; D010543:Peroneal Nerve / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000502:physiology; D013979:Tibial Nerve / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors