THE CONSEQUENCES OF MICRONEUROGRAPHY ELECTRODE-INDUCED INJURY OF PERIPHERAL-NERVES OBSERVED IN THE RAT AND MAN

Citation
Asc. Rice et al., THE CONSEQUENCES OF MICRONEUROGRAPHY ELECTRODE-INDUCED INJURY OF PERIPHERAL-NERVES OBSERVED IN THE RAT AND MAN, Pain, 59(3), 1994, pp. 385-393
Citations number
33
Categorie Soggetti
Neurosciences
Journal title
PainACNP
ISSN journal
03043959
Volume
59
Issue
3
Year of publication
1994
Pages
385 - 393
Database
ISI
SICI code
0304-3959(1994)59:3<385:TCOMEI>2.0.ZU;2-4
Abstract
The consequences of microneurography were assessed, using tungsten and coaxial electrodes in rat and man. Firstly, the sequelae of microneur ography were examined for up to 1 month in a rat sciatic nerve model, using 3 techniques. Expression of the injury-associated protein GAP-43 was measured by immunofluorescence in sciatic nerve and dorsal root g anglia 3 and 28 days following sciatic nerve injury by microneurograph y electrodes. No increase in GAP-43 was observed in sciatic nerve 3 da ys following injury, but 28 days after injury the coaxial electrode wa s associated with an increase in GAP-43 expression, All electrodes wer e associated with an increase in GAP-43 in dorsal root ganglia 28 days after injury. The capacity of unmyelinated afferent fibres to induce neurogenic oedema was examined up to the 28th post-experimental day, a s measured by Evan's Blue extravasation. The tungsten electrode induce d a decrease in extravasation, which persisted for 28 days. In contras t, the decrease in plasma extravasation associated with lesions induce d by the coaxial electrode returned to baseline within 7 days. The hin d-limb withdrawal time from a noxious stimulus was also measured up to 28 days following injury. Both types of electrode induced a significa nt change in the immediate post-experimental period, but this returned to normal within 1 week. The direction of change differed between the tungsten and coaxial electrodes. In humans, symptomatology questionna ires were collected after microneurography experiments with the coaxia l electrode. Thirty-two volunteers were studied. Two subjects reported mild paraesthesiae, which fully resolved within 24 h. This compares f avourably with similar studies of the tungsten electrode.