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Regeneration of the Motor and Sensory Fibres in the Sciatic Nerve and the Suralis Nerve of the Cat

1949; Wiley; Volume: 18; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1111/j.1748-1716.1949.tb00622.x

1365-201X

K. R. INBERG,

Nerve injury and regeneration

Summary. The regeneration of motor or sensory fibres after cutting and suturing the sciatic nerve was examined histologically. By previous denervation one kind of fibre was eliminated in each set of operation. By obsenving the behaviour of both classes of regenerated fibres towards a sensory branch (suralis) with a confirmed normal composition morphological signs of an orientation mechanism can be studied without the injurious effect of a more direct esperimentation technique. The reappearance of the regenerated motor fibres in a normal group‐formation in the tibial portion of the sciatic nerve may be recognized at a comparable level. A normal fibre number, a uniform growth and an electro‐physiologically confirmed conductivity in the suralis nerve was obtained only when sensory fibres were available in the sciatic nerve. In two cats with a previous sensory denervation of the sciatic neive only a very limited number of small fibres in the suralis was in a late stage found. In an experiment with a shorter duration the number of fibres was somewhat larger. Consequently there must be an absorption of fibres which have grown into an unsuitable branch. There were no signs of an attractive effect combined with fibre degeneration dich was not followed by a regeneration of the same class of fibres. An abnormal growth of a number of what were probably motor fibres into the suralis was connected with the cutting and suturing of the sciatic nerve with a previous sensory denervation a few millimeters above the branching point of the suralis. It is probable that fibres which have made unsuitable connections are not always absorbed. Therefore also the idea of a central reorganization may prove valid.