title: Accelerating functional recovery after rat facial nerve injury: Effects of gonadal steroids and electrical stimulation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the combined effects of electrical stimulation and testosterone propionate on overall recovery time in rats with extracranial crush injuries to the facial nerve.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male rats underwent castration 3 to 5 days prior to right facial nerve crush injury and electrode implantation. Rats were randomly assigned to two groups: crush injury + testosterone or crush injury with electrical stimulation + testosterone. Recovery was assessed by daily subjective examination documenting vibrissae orientation/movement, semi-eye blink, and full eye blink.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Milestones of early recovery were noted to be significantly earlier in the groups with electrical stimulation, with/without testosterone. The addition of testosterone to electrical stimulation showed significant earlier return of late recovery parameters and complete overall recovery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Electrical stimulation may decrease cell death or promote sprouting to accelerate early recovery. Testosterone may affect the actual rate of axonal regeneration and produce acceleration in functional recovery. By targeting different stages of neural regeneration, the synergy of electrical stimulation and testosterone appears to have promise as a neurotherapeutic strategy for facial nerve injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153, USA. thehetzlers@gmail.com
authors.forename: Laura E T
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Hetzler
authors.forename: Nijee
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tanzer
authors.forename: Robert D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Wurster
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leonetti
authors.forename: Sam J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Marzo
authors.forename: Kathryn J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Eileen M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Foecking
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D020220:Facial Nerve Injuries / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D043343:Testosterone Propionate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D043343:Testosterone Propionate