title: On the use of the grasping test in the rat median nerve model: a re-appraisal of its efficacy for quantitative assessment of motor function recovery.
abstract: The quantitative assessment of motor function is an important requirement for studies on peripheral nerve injury and repair. So far, most studies on peripheral nerves have been performed on the sciatic nerve model using walking track analysis for assessing motor function. Alternatively, the employment of the median nerve model, which allows motor function evaluation by means of a simple behavioural test named grasping test (GT), have been more recently proposed. In this paper, the efficacy of the GT for the quantitative assessment of motor function recovery is re-appraised and a modified device for its carrying out is described. Finally, the rationale for the employment of the median nerve model as an alternative to the sciatic nerve model is critically discussed.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Discipline Chirurgiche Generali e Speciali, Università di Messina, Policlinico Universitario, Via C. Valeria-98100, Messina, Italy. igorpapalia@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Papalia
authors.forename: Pierluigi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tos
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Stagno d'Alcontres
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Battiston
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Geuna
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000293:injuries* / Q000502:physiology*; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*