Minimally invasive techniques for sensory and motor nerve conduction in Wistar albino rats

Abstract

Decrease in motor and/or sensory conduction velocities, or a decrease in the amplitude of muscle or nerve potential indicates certain peripheral nerve system disorders. Techniques for the measurement of motor and sensory conduction velocities are well established in humans as well as in numerous animal models such as the rat and the monkey. Scientists widely use rats as experimental animals for scientific research for their viability, fast reproduction and simplicity, which makes them indispensable in experimental researches. Particularly, rats are used for investigation of models of peripheral axonal and demyelinating neuropathies, neural tissue injury and regeneration.^[1-3] In rats, motor nerve conduction velocity (NCV) is measured at the level of the sciatic nerve^[4] or less frequently at the tail.^[5-6] The sensory nerve conduction velocity (SNCV) has been measured on the external saphenous nerve and sural nerve.^[7]