Journal
NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH
Volume 49, Issue 1, Pages 113-122Publisher
ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2004.02.001
Keywords
mouse; conduction velocity; relative refractory period; dorsal column; vestibulospinal tract; reticulospinal tract; pyramidal tract
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Various lines of transgenic or knockout mice are now available that have abnormalities in neuron, glial cells or neuron-glial interaction. However. the techniques for quantitative analysis of their pathophysiological functions are still limited. We established an experimental model system to measure the properties of nerve conduction of identified neural pathways in the CNS using anesthetized and immobilized mice. Dorsal column (DC), vestibulospinal/reticulospinal tracts (VRST) and pyramidal tract (PT) were stimulated by inserting stimulating electrodes into the dorsal column nuclei, medial longitudinal fasciculus, and the medullary pyramid, respectively. Volleys were recorded at various segments in the cervical spinal cord with surface electrodes, and their conduction velocities (CVs) and relative refractory periods (RRPs) were measured. The CVs of the DC, VRST and PT were 26.25 +/- 4.96 m/s (n = 7), 51.55 +/- 4.65 m/s (n = 7), 8.89 +/- 1.81 m/s (n = 7), respectively. Data from paired stimulation indicated that the median values of RRPs of the DC, VRST and PT were 10, 2 and 4 ins, respectively, which suggested marked difference among individual tracts. This is the first attempt to measure the conduction properties of the central tracts in mice in vivo. This experimental procedure will give us a physiological measure of CNS functions in normal and genetically manipulated mice and contribute to clarifying the molecular mechanisms and pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). (C) 2004 Elsevier Ireland Ltd and The Japan Neuroscience Society. All rights reserved.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available