Background and Objective: Sciatic nerve transection is characterized by a rapid wave of motoneuron death associated with progressive synaptic lesions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long term synaptic changes. Materials and Methods: This basic study was carried out on paraffin- or resin-em...

Previous studies have shown that stimulation of group 'I' afferents from ankle extensor muscles can prolong the cycle period in decerebrate walking cats and that the magnitude of these effects can be altered after chronic axotomy of the lateral-gastrocnemius/soleus (LGS) nerve. The effectiveness of LGS group I afferents in prolonging the cycle period decreases after axotomy, whereas the effecti...

The response of the mature central nervous system (CNS) to injury differs significantly from the response of the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Axotomized PNS neurons generally regenerate following injury, while CNS neurons do not. The mechanisms that are responsible for these differences are not completely known, but both intrinsic neuronal and extrinsic environmental influences are likely t...

A biophysical description of the axotomized rat sympathetic neuron is reported, obtained by the two-electrode voltage-clamp technique in mature, intact superior cervical ganglia in vitro. Multiple aspects of neuron functioning were tested. Synaptic conductance activated by the whole presynaptic input decreased to 29% of the control value (0.92 muS per neuron) 1 day after axotomy and to 18% afte...

Synapse elimination in the adult central nervous system can be modelled by axotomy of spinal motoneurons which triggers removal of synapses from the cell surface of lesioned motoneurons by processes that remain elusive. Proposed candidate mechanisms are removal of synapses by reactive microglia and astrocytes, based on the remarkable activation of these cell types in the vicinity of motoneurons...

PURPOSE Microglia normally exist in several layers across the retinal thickness. When retinal ganglion cells undergo apoptosis after lesion to their axons, microglial cells proliferate and promptly clear the debris. We have previously reported on the phagocytic response following optic nerve axotomy. Here, we present how microglial cells of deeper retinal layers are affected by transection of t...

There are significant differences in the rate of neuronal death after peripheral nerve injury between species. The rate of neuronal death of motor neurons after nerve injury in the adult rats is very low, whereas that in adult mice is relatively high. However, the understanding of the mechanism underlying axotomy-induced motor neuron death in adult mice is limited. Cathepsin B (CB), a typical c...