Electrical stimulation accelerates motor functional recovery in autograft-repaired 10 mm femoral nerve gap in rats.
Electrical stimulation has been shown to enhance peripheral nerve regeneration after nerve injury. However, the impact of electrical stimulation on motor functional recovery after nerve injuries, especially over long nerve gap lesions, has not been investigated in a comprehensive manner. In the present study, we aimed to determine whether electrical stimulation (1 h, 20 Hz) is beneficial for motor functional recovery after a 10 mm femoral nerve gap lesion in rats. The proximal nerve stump was electrically stimulated for 1 h at 20 Hz frequency prior to nerve repair with an autologous graft. The rate of motor functional recovery was evaluated by single frame motion analysis and electrophysiological studies, and the nerve regeneration was investigated by double labeling and histological analysis. We found that brief electrical stimulation significantly accelerated motor functional recovery and nerve regeneration. Although the final outcome, both in functional terms and morphological terms, was not improved by electrical stimulation, the observed acceleration of functional recovery and axon regeneration may be of therapeutic importance in clinical setting.
Huang
Jinghui
J
Institute of Orthopaedics, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
Hu
Xueyu
X
Lu
Lei
L
Ye
Zhengxu
Z
Wang
Yuqing
Y
Luo
Zhuojing
Z
D000818:Animals; D003714:Denervation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005267:Femoral Nerve / Q000293:injuries / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery*; D020428:Femoral Neuropathy / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D010243:Paralysis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D052097:Quadriceps Muscle / Q000294:innervation / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D016378:Tissue Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014743:Videotape Recording