Morphometric and ultrastructural studies of the sciatic nerve regenerationin rats intoxicated with ethanol

The aim of the study was to examine the process of sciatic nerve regenerati on and changes in the dorsal root ganglia (from which sensory fibres of the sciatic nerve extend) in animals intoxicated with ethanol. The experiment used 20 rats, divided into two groups: control and treated. The treated ani mals were intragastrically given 2g/kg b.w. of ethanol in 25% aqueous solut ion. In both groups the right sciatic nerve was transected and then sutured . After 5 months the animals were anaesthetized. The left and the right spi nal dorsal ganglia-L5 and sections from the nonoperated and operated sciati c nerves were collected for analysis. Ultrastructural examinations and morp hometric measurements were conducted. It was found that ethanol administrat ed to rats inhibited regeneration of the transected and then sutured sciati c nerve, impairing the growth of axons in the transected nerve and destroyi ng the regenerating sensory ganglion cells. The mechanism of the changes de scribed may be associated with axonal transport disorders or with the suppr essed production of biologically active substances, which affect nerve rege neration.