Assessment of Peripheral Nerve Damage in the Rat Following Non-Freezing ColdExposure: An Electrophysiological and Histopathological Examination

摘要

The effect of exposure to non-freezing cold temperature on peripheral nerve wasstudied in vivo. Rats' tails, and a portion of their lower backs, were submerged in 1 deg. C water for either 10 or 12 hours. Changes in evoked ascending nerve action potentials, and muscle action potentials in the rat tail and lumbar spine, were studied periodically over a three week period following cold exposure. In addition, ventral caudal nerves were excised 27 days following cold exposure and histopathology was performed. Electrophysiological analysis indicated initial nerve damage appeared to be just below the surface of the water, and later, in the first week after exposure, Wallerian degeneration occurred. Histopathological analysis revealed damage to the large myelinated fibers and capillaries within the fascicle following cold exposure. These results further validate the use of the rat tail as a model for non-freezing cold injury (NFCI) and suggest that the injury's etiology is multifaceted, which may require a variety of strategies and interventions to prevent its occurrence.