Methods to evaluate functional nerve recovery in adult rats: walking trackanalysis, video analysis and the withdrawal reflex

The aim of this study was to compare different methods for the evaluation o f functional nerve recovery. Three groups of adult male Wistar rats were st udied. In group A, a 12-mm gap between nerve ends was bridged by an autolog ous nerve graft; in rats of group B we performed a crush lesion of the scia tic nerve and group C consisted of non-operated control rats. The withdrawa l reflex, elicited by an electric stimulus, was used to evaluate the recove ry of sensory nerve function. To investigate motor nerve recovery we analyz ed the walking pattern. Three different methods were used to obtain data fo r footprint analysis: photographic paper with thickened film developer on t he paws, normal white paper with finger paint, and video recordings. The fo otprints were used to calculate the sciatic function index (SFI). From the video recordings, we also analyzed stepcycles. The withdrawal reflex is a c onvenient and reproducible test for the evaluation of global sensory nerve recovery. Recording walking movements on video and the analysis of footplac ing is a perfect although time-consuming method for the evaluation of funct ional aspects of motor nerve recovery. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Scien ce B.V. All rights reserved.