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An examination of intraspinal sprouting in dorsal root axons with the tracer horseradish peroxidase
Author(s) -
Rodin Barbarae,
Sampogna Sharon L.,
Kruger La Wrence
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
journal of comparative neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.855
H-Index - 209
eISSN - 1096-9861
pISSN - 0021-9967
DOI - 10.1002/cne.902150206
Subject(s) - horseradish peroxidase , spinal cord , anatomy , sciatic nerve , biology , lumbar spinal cord , axoplasmic transport , dorsum , lumbar , afferent , neuroscience , central nervous system , sprouting , biochemistry , botany , enzyme
Postdeafferentation reorganization in the central terminal fields of spared dorsal root axons was evaluated by examining the intraspinal distribution of horseradish peroxidase‐labeled sciatic nerve afferent fibers at various intervals following the removal of several lumbar dorsal root ganglia. The sciatic projection to the spinal cord, as determined by the pattern and density of intraspinal reaction product, was remarkably stable following the ganglionectomies. For as long as 3 months later, there was no evidence that sciatic afferent fibers had formed anomalous connections either with new spinal segments or in denervated areas within normal segments of entry. These findings cast doubt upon the existence of anatomic reorganization within the spinal cord following its partial deafferentation and suggest that physiological processes other than new axonal growth underlie observations such as postdenervation alterations in the response properties of dorsal horn neurons and the recovery of behavioral function.