title: Electrical stimulation delays reinnervation in denervated rat muscle.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is not clear if electrical stimulation (ES) can affect muscle reinnervation. This study aimed to verify if ES affects neuromuscular recovery after nerve crush injury in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Denervated muscles were electrically stimulated daily for 6 or 14 days. Neuromuscular performance and excitability, and muscle morphology were determined. Muscle trophism markers (atrogin-1, MuRF-1, and myoD), as well as neuromuscular junction (NMJ) organization (muscle-specific receptor tyrosine kinase [MuSK], cytoplasmic protein downstream of kinase-7 [Dok-7], nicotinic ACh receptor [nAChR], and neural cell adhesion molecule [N-CAM]) were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ES impaired neuromuscular recovery at day 14 postdenervation. Muscle hypoexcitability was accentuated by ES at 6 and 14 days postdenervation. Although ES reduced the accumulation of atrogin-1, MuRF1, and myoD mRNAs, it increased muscle atrophy. Gene expression of MuSK, Dok-7, nAChR, and the content of N-CAM protein were altered by ES.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ES can delay the reinnervation process by modulating factors related to NMJ stability and organization, and inducing dysfunction, hypoexcitability, and muscle atrophy. Muscle Nerve 56: E108-E118, 2017.
authors.affiliation: Fisioterapia Neurológica (LaFiN), Departamento de Fisioterapia, Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar), Rodovia Washington Luis, Km 235, C.P. 676 - CEP: 13565-905, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Clara M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Pinheiro-Dardis
authors.affiliation: Fisioterapia Neurológica (LaFiN), Departamento de Fisioterapia, Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar), Rodovia Washington Luis, Km 235, C.P. 676 - CEP: 13565-905, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Bruna T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Erbereli
authors.affiliation: Fisioterapia Neurológica (LaFiN), Departamento de Fisioterapia, Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar), Rodovia Washington Luis, Km 235, C.P. 676 - CEP: 13565-905, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Davilene
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gigo-Benato
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Muscle Plasticity, DFisio, UFSCar, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paula A T S
authors.initials: PATS
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.affiliation: Fisioterapia Neurológica (LaFiN), Departamento de Fisioterapia, Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar), Rodovia Washington Luis, Km 235, C.P. 676 - CEP: 13565-905, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Thiago L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Russo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D009121:Muscle Denervation / Q000379:methods*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020426:Sciatic Neuropathy / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: muscle atrophy; neurology; neuromuscular junction; neurorehabilitation; physiotherapy