Investigation of skeletal muscle denervation and reinnervation using magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
OBJECTIVE
To determine changes in skeletal muscle metabolism after nerve transection and repair and to correlate metabolic changes with functional recovery.


METHODS
Male Wistar rats were divided into 6 experimental groups plus a control group. The posterior tibial nerve was transected and reapproximated. At varying times after surgery (1, 2, 4, 6, or 8 weeks) animals were sacrificed, the gastrocnemius muscle was harvested, and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was performed. Functional recovery was measured using the sciatic function index.


RESULTS
Animals undergoing nerve repair all showed functional recovery whereas the nonrepaired nerve group did not. Concentration of glucose and lactate increased after denervation and then returned toward normal. Choline concentration decreased and then returned toward normal. In animals not undergoing nerve repair, the metabolic abnormalities persisted and showed no sign of recovery over the 8-week observation period.


CONCLUSIONS
1H NMR spectroscopy is a potentially useful tool to study changes in skeletal muscle metabolism after motor nerve injury.


CONCLUSIONS
NMR spectroscopy is rapidly developing into a clinically useful tool. High-field magnets have improved resolution and data acquisition. Basic experiments, such as those described here, will help guide the use of NMR spectroscopy in clinical medicine and will also lead to a better understanding of basic mechanisms of nerve injury and repair.
Dort
J C
JC
Department of Surgery (Otolaryngology), 3330 Hospital Dr. NW, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2N 4N1. jdort@ucalgary.ca
Fan
Y
Y
McIntyre
D D
DD
D000200:Action Potentials; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D002794:Choline / Q000032:analysis; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004576:Electromyography; D005947:Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D009121:Muscle Denervation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000294:innervation* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011930:Reaction Time; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012092:Replantation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000502:physiology; D013979:Tibial Nerve / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors
D019344:Lactic Acid; D005947:Glucose; D002794:Choline