Analysis of Spinal Nerve Conduction Measurement With Epidural Stimulation in Rats

Abstract

Nerve conduction velocity (NCV) is a very common parameter to diagnose neuromuscular and neurodegenerative diseases. Animal model of the diseases is most suitable model for new treatments. However measuring of NCV in rats brings some difficulties such as short extremities, thickness of skin and small length of peripheral nerves. Our purpose is to overcome these difficulties by measuring spinal NCV on lumbar level with epidural stimulation. In this study Wistar-Albino strain of rats were used. Under general anesthesia, rats were electrically stimulated with monopalar needle electrodes from two different points in spinal cord; L1-L2 and L5-L6 spinal segment and EMG was recorded from surface of the gastrocnemius muscle. In addition, NCV was also measured from sciatic nerve of the rats. The mean of calculated spinal nerve conduction velocity of male rats was 72.4 m/s +/- 3.77 and of female was 68.24 m/s +/- 5.97 from compound muscle action potential (CMAP) analysis. As a result, spinal nerve conduction velocity can be measured with the usage of EMG that produced with the epidural stimulation of spinal cord. Furthermore it is more relevant to induce EMG with epidural spinal stimuli than skin surface stimuli of spine in rats.