Morphometric Parameters of Peripheral Nerves in Calves Correlated with Conduction Velocity

Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine

H.C. Schenk²  K. Haastert-Talini³  J. Jungnickel³  C. Grothe³  H. Meyer¹  J. Rehage¹  M. Fehr²  J. Bokemeyer²  C. Rohn⁴ 

[1] Clinic for Cattle, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany;Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany;School of Medicine, Institute of Neuroanatomy, Hannover, Germany;Institute of Biometry, Epidemiology and Information Processing, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany

关键词: g‐ratio;    Myelination;    Precocial species;   

DOI  :  10.1111/jvim.12271

来源: Wiley

【 摘 要 】

Abstract

Background

Peripheral nerve injuries are the most frequent neurologic disorder in cattle. So far, no physiologic values have been established for the motor nerve conduction velocity (mNCV) in this precocial species.

Objectives

The electrophysiologic and morphometric reference values of peripheral nerves in calves were determined. It was hypothesized that these parameters would correlate to the high degree of maturity in the first days of life in this species compared to other species.

Animals

Twenty-six healthy calves were used in this study.

Methods

The mNCV of the radial and the sciatic/common peroneal nerve was measured in all 26 calves. Nerve biopsies from a group of 6 calves were taken to correlate the obtained electrophysiologic data with morphological parameters.

Results

The mean mNCV of the radial nerve was 48.3 ± 10.6 m/s, whereas the mean mNCV of the sciatic/peroneal nerve was with 83.8 ± 5.9 m/s significantly faster (P < .0001). The average fiber diameter was 8.40 ± 2.80 μm (range, 1.98–17.90 μm) and the average g-ratio was 0.61 ± 0.04 SD.

Conclusion and Clinical Importance

The established reference values for mNCV in calves correlate well with the evaluated morphometric parameters. Attributable to their comparably fast mNCV and high fiber diameters, juvenile calves appear to be much more mature individuals than other mammals. Electrophysiologic characterization of peripheral nerve injury now is feasible in this species.

【 授权许可】

Unknown   
Copyright © 2014 by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine