[Hemorrhages of dorsal root ganglia and sensory disturbance in congenitally hydrocephalic HTX rats].
Recently we reported the frequent occurrence of hemorrhages in the dorsal root ganglia of congenitally hydrocephalic HTX rats, an animal model of human congenital hydrocephalus. Therefore, we hypothesized that sensory disturbance might be present in these rats. In order to evaluate the sensory abnormality quantitatively, we injected 50 microliters of 5% formalin into the footpad of the left hind paw of hydrocephalic (n = 5) and non-hydrocephalic HTX rats (n = 5) and Wistar rats (n = 5) on postnatal days 17-23, and then recorded the licking response time for 60 min after injection. The mean licking time in the early (0-10 min) and late (10-60 min) phases was significantly longer in hydrocephalic HTX rats than in non-hydrocephalic HTX and Wistar rats (P < 0.05). Histologically, hemorrhages in the dorsal root ganglia were found in all five hydrocephalic animals, of which two had shown thalamic degeneration. These findings suggest that lesions in the dorsal root ganglia and thalamus may correspond to the sensory disturbance observed in congenitally hydrocephalic HTX rats.
Mori
F
F
Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Brain Science, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, 5 Zaifu-cho, Hirosaki 036-8562, Japan.
Tanji
K
K
Yoshida
Y
Y
Wakabayashi
K
K
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000473:pathology*; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000473:pathology*; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000473:pathology*; D013788:Thalamus / Q000473:pathology