Changes in the propagating excitation wave pattern on the rat somatosensory cortex after the peripheral nerve denervation and reinnervation

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K21175
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Rehabilitation science/Welfare engineering; Neurophysiology / General neuroscience
• Research Institution: Shimane University
• Principal Investigator: Kawai Minako 島根大学, 医学部, 助教 (50710109)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: ラット / 体性感覚野 / 光学的多領域膜電位測定 / 興奮波伝播 / 末梢神経障害

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In recent years, although some studies have investigated the acute changes in the neural activity of cerebrum cortex after peripheral nerve disorder, the mechanism underlying this change is poorly understood. In this study, I examined how the spatio-temporal pattern of neural activities changed after peripheral nerve denervation by crush or local anesthesia and reinnervation.
Using our multiple-site optical recording technique, it was shown that the propagating velocity in the specific direction from the initiation site was lower than pre-value after peripheral nerve crush or anesthesia. After nerve recover from anesthesia, this velocity was higher than the pre-value, which implied that the overactivation of nerves in somatosensory cortex was caused immediately after reinnervation. These results suggest that the changes in the propagating excitation wave pattern influence the future reorganization of somatosensory map and sensitization after nerve disorder.

Free Research Field

神経筋生理学