Author/Editor     Kovačič, Uroš; Žele, Tilen; Osredkar, Joško; Sketelj, Janez; Bajrović, Fajko F
Title     Sex-related differences in the regeneration of sensory axons and recovery of nociception after peripheral nerve crush in the rat
Type     članek
Source     Exp Neurol
Vol. and No.     Letnik 189
Publication year     2004
Volume     str. 94-104
Language     eng
Abstract     Sex-related differences regarding the regeneration of nociceptive axons and the recovery of nociception after sural nerve crush injury were examined in rats. The elongation rate of the fastest regenerating sensory axons in females started to increase aftcr the first 6 days. This resulted in about 15% greater axon elongation distance at 8 days after crush in female than in male rats as determined by the nervc pinch test. The number of regenerating sensory axons in female and male rats, however, was not different. The recovery of nociception in the instep started earlier and was more extensive in females than in males during the entire 24-week recovery period, so that the pain sensitive arca was finally about 20% larger in females than in males. Although ovariectomy significantly reduced plasma estradiol concentration in female rats, it did not change the elongation distance of regenerating nociceptive axons, which remained significantly greater than in male rats. Elimination of the cells in the distal nerve segment by freezing revealed that a more effective cell support in the distal nervc segment is probably responsible for faster regeneration of nociceptive axons in females than in males, rather than the circulating female sex hormones.
Descriptors     SURAL NERVE
NERVE CRUSH
NERVE REGENERATION
AXONS
SCHWANN CELLS
PAIN MEASUREMENT
OVARIECTOMY
ESTRADIOL
SEX FACTORS
RATS, WISTAR