Abstract
The peroneal nerve anatomy of the rabbit distal hindlimb is similar to humans, but reports of distal peroneal nerve conduction studies were not identified with a literature search. Distal sensorimotor recordings may be useful for studying rabbit models of length-dependent peripheral neuropathy. Surface electrodes were adhered to the dorsal rabbit foot overlying the extensor digitorum brevis muscle and the superficial peroneal nerve. The deep and superficial peroneal nerves were stimulated above the ankle and the common peroneal nerve was stimulated at the knee. The nerve conduction studies were repeated twice with a one-week intertest interval to determine measurement variability. Intravenous vincristine was used to produce a peripheral neuropathy. Repeat recordings measured the response to vincristine. A compound muscle action potential and a sensory nerve action potential were evoked in all rabbits. The compound muscle action potential mean amplitude was 0.29 mV (SD ± 0.12) and the fibula head to ankle mean motor conduction velocity was 46.5 m/s (SD ± 2.9). The sensory nerve action potential mean amplitude was 22.8 μV (SD ± 2.8) and the distal sensory conduction velocity was 38.8 m/s (SD ± 2.2). Sensorimotor latencies and velocities were least variable between two test sessions (coefficient of variation = 2.6–5.9%), sensory potential amplitudes were intermediate (coefficient of variation = 11.1%) and compound potential amplitudes were the most variable (coefficient of variation = 19.3%). Vincristine abolished compound muscle action potentials and reduced sensory nerve action potential amplitudes by 42–57% while having little effect on velocity. Rabbit distal hindlimb nerve conduction studies are feasible with surface recordings and stimulation. The evoked distal sensory potentials have amplitudes, configurations and recording techniques that are similar to humans and may be valuable for measuring large sensory fiber function in chronic models of peripheral neuropathies.
Highlights
The peroneal nerve anatomy of the rabbit distal hindlimb is similar to humans
The compound muscle action potential (CMAP) was evoked with the lowest threshold just medial of the anterior midline of the distal leg, while the sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) was evoked lateral to midline consistent with anatomic location of the deep and superficial peroneal nerves (Fig. 1) [1]
With stimulation at the fibula head, a shallow, slow positive potential commonly preceded the CMAP negative waveform. This positive potential probably reflects remote spread of a far-field potential from peroneal innervated muscles in the anterior leg. Such an initial positivity occurs in humans with increased amplification of the extensor digitorum brevis CMAP
Summary
The peroneal nerve anatomy of the rabbit distal hindlimb is similar to humans. The superficial peroneal nerve widely branches to innervate the dorsal skin of the rabbit foot. The proximal dorsum of the foot contains an extensor digitorum brevis muscle that is innervated by the deep peroneal nerve. Stimulation of the rabbit common peroneal nerve at the fibula head evokes a compound muscle action potential (CMAP) from the tibialis anterior that has been used for motor unit number estimation [2]. The rabbit foot anatomy suggested that stimulating the distal deep and superficial peroneal nerves could evoke a CMAP and a sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) respectively. Reports of such distal peroneal nerve conduction studies in the rabbit, were not identified with a literature search. The feasibility of measuring distal sensory and motor potentials from the rabbit’s foot was determined and it proved to be practical
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