title: Evaluation of lumbosacral nerve root conduction in chickens by electrophysiological testing including high-resolution spinal magnetic stimulation.
abstract: The value of avian models in peripheral nerve research recently became substantiated by the immunobiological similarity of avian inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy to human Guillain-Barré syndrome providing an alternative animal model for experimental autoimmune neuritis. As electrophysiologic evaluation of nerve roots is essential part of the diagnosis of polyradiculoneuropathies in humans, it would be favourable to have similar research methods available for juvenile chickens. Hence, this study was performed (1) to establish a tool-set that allows for reproducible evaluation of the tibial/sciatic nerve and its nerve roots, (2) to achieve age-matched reference values, and (3) to trace the kinetics of peripheral nerve maturation within chickens. Nine chickens underwent serial electrodiagnostic examinations between the age of 6 and 15 weeks. Several methods of sensory and motor nerve fiber stimulation of the tibial/sciatic nerve were tested and modified or established. Ultimately, scalp-recorded somatosensory evoked potentials, compound muscle action potentials elicited by tibial/sciatic nerve electrical as well as spinal magnetic stimulation and motor nerve conduction velocity were available for tibial/sciatic nerve and nerve root evaluation in chickens. Base values were obtained for all investigations and parameters. Results indicated that the maturation of the nerve fibers is incomplete up to the age of 15 weeks. The methods tested here provide an excellent tool-set for quantitative tibial/sciatic nerve and nerve root assessment in avian polyradiculoneuropathies, especially within the scope of longitudinal monitoring of the disease course.
authors.affiliation: Section of Neuropathology, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Sophie R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Bader
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Emrich
authors.forename: Uta
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Juetting
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Weyh
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kaspers
authors.forename: Kaspar
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matiasek
mesh_terms: D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001703:Biophysics; D002645:Chickens; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D004576:Electromyography / Q000379:methods; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008161:Lumbosacral Region / Q000294:innervation; D008280:Magnetics / Q000379:methods*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D019051:Rhizotomy / Q000379:methods; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013979:Tibial Nerve / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D008012:Lidocaine