title: A novel videographic method for quantitatively tracking vibrissal motor recovery following facial nerve injuries in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies of vibrissal movements employ either optoelectronic recording techniques in the head fixed rodent, or videographic recordings in freely moving animals. However, both approaches have shortcomings for quantitatively tracking the process of vibrissal motor recovery.
  
  
  METHODS
  A critical feature of our videographic method is to measure tagged vibrissae movements while leaving all others intact in body restrained rats without head fixation. Thirty two adult rats underwent facial nerve manipulation and testing. All animals underwent baseline preoperative whisking testing. In the experimental groups, the right facial nerve was either crushed, or transected and sutured. In the control groups, the left facial nerve underwent either sham surgery, or transection denervation. Whisking function was measured for the ensuing 2 to 12 weeks. Data were analyzed for whisking recovery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Baseline preoperative whisking testing showed that majority of free whisking on the both sides is synchronous and symmetric, which allows us to compare vibrissal motor data between intact and manipulated side after facial nerve injury. As expected, the recovery of whisking function following crush is better and earlier than that with transection and suture.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To our knowledge, this novel videographic method is a significant simplification over currently employed optoelectronic recording techniques and videographic methods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our novel videographic method may be a powerful tool to investigate motor recovery from facial nerve manipulation in the rat model.
authors: Department of Stomatology, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, 415 Fengyang Rd, Shanghai 200003, PR China. Electronic address: 496349641@qq.com.
authors: Jian Tao
authors: JT
authors: Huang
authors: Department of Stomatology, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, 415 Fengyang Rd, Shanghai 200003, PR China. Electronic address: louis_w@126.com.
authors: Guo Dong
authors: GD
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Stomatology Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, 168 Changhai Rd, Shanghai 200438, PR China. Electronic address: Wang_Dento@163.com.
authors: Da Lin
authors: da L
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Stomatology, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, 415 Fengyang Rd, Shanghai 200003, PR China. Electronic address: liuyuan_6@hotmail.com.
authors: Yuan
authors: Y
authors: Liu
authors: Department of Stomatology, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, 415 Fengyang Rd, Shanghai 200003, PR China; Pudong New Area Eye and Dental Disease Prevention and Treatment Center, 222 Wenhua Rd, Huinan Town District, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201399, PR China. Electronic address: hw55666123@163.com.
authors: Xu Yun
authors: XY
authors: Zhang
authors: Department of Stomatology, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, 415 Fengyang Rd, Shanghai 200003, PR China. Electronic address: zhaoyf1818@126.com.
authors: Yun Fu
authors: YF
authors: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D020220:Facial Nerve Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D014738:Vibrissae / Q000502:physiology*; D014741:Video Recording / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Facial nerve; Movement; Vibrissa; Videographic recording; Whisking